


Run Deep

by CalvinPitt



Series: Crossed Currents [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aliases, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Bounty Hunters, Competent Buggy (One Piece), Don't Post To Another Site, East Blue, Gen, Glacially Slow Burn, Hurt/Comfort, OCs aren't the focus, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Roronoa Zoro, Strangers to Friends, Trust Issues, child experimentation (because marines are scumbags), garp as an element of chaos, just there for fun, no beta we die like men, profanity (because zoro), robin and zoro don't like talking about their feelings, robin being soft with kids, robin's surprised children like her, where do you think luffy got it from?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:15:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 49
Words: 188,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25651213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CalvinPitt/pseuds/CalvinPitt
Summary: Hearing rumors of something hidden in the East Blue, and with a mysterious criminal organization hunting her, Robin flees the Grand Line.She's tired, lonely, and running low on hope for success in finding either the True History, or a family. Maybe a directionally-challenged swordsman can help with at least one of those things.
Relationships: Nico Robin & Roronoa Zoro
Series: Crossed Currents [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859674
Comments: 278
Kudos: 206





	1. People You Meet in the Woods

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, how you doing! Let's get it started with a few notes! So exciting!
> 
> 1\. I don't own One Piece, its characters, concepts, or locales. The OCs are mine, although you could probably put pretty heavy quote marks around "original" for some of them.
> 
> 2\. Like it says in the tags, I'll add more as I go. Don't want to spoil all the surprises. Might add more characters, just not sure how much a character needs to show up before they matter enough to add. This is really Robin and Zoro's show when you get down to it.
> 
> 3\. The story is written already. Current plan is to add a chapter every three days. If I know that's gonna change, I'll try to mention it in the end notes. Hopefully won't happen unless I'm uploading a different story.

Over the last 17 years, Nico Robin had grown used to trouble following her. Capture, torture, execution, all of that and more loomed over her shoulder like a particularly intrusive traveling companion, constantly making their presence felt. 

“C’mon gorgeous, why not sit here with me a minute?”

Of course, there were different levels of trouble.

Robin cast a brief glance over her shoulder at the man who called out to her. He slumped lazily in a chair outside the tavern, flies buzzing around him energetically in the stifling humidity, his legs stretched out and wide apart. He watched her with a look she was unfortunately all-too familiar with. Several other men dressed in similarly ratty jackets, shirts, and pants sat around him, on a mixture of chairs, stools, convenient boxes, or the bare ground.

The man noticed her gaze and gave what he probably thought was a charming smile. The rotten, yellowed, or missing teeth rather ruined the effect, however. As did his ridiculous hair, with the sides extremely curly and puffed out around his ears, while the top was flat and straight, and in a bowl cut. Almost certainly a toupee. Not to mention his eyes promised nothing pleasant. 

“Well, hello, hello lovely. Haven’t seen you around before. Care for a drink?” Several of the others chuckled as though he’d made a joke. Robin could guess what they’d offer. She sighed and turned away, resuming her journey down the main road of the village.

Only road, really. This was a very small village, barely a noticeable clearing in the forests on this island. Still, Robin had hoped she could find a place to sleep for the night, and that was looking more unlikely given the welcome she received. The heat was unpleasant enough she decided to care the heavy cloak and hood she normally wore to disguise herself. She thought she was dressed plainly enough, and looked dirty enough, to avoid attention. Apparently not.

“Hey, don’t walk away. I just want to be friends!”

Or maybe this fool would have bothered her regardless. She glanced back to see him haul himself jerkily from his seat and follow, his friends doing likewise. She sighed again. He was a persistent lecher. Wonderful.

The East Blue might be the weakest sea, but that didn’t mean it was devoid of unpleasant experiences. Given the village sat in the middle of Caramello Island, Robin suspected these were mountain bandits rather than pirates. Weak ones, too, if they chose to set up shop in such a podunk village. Most of them were armed with swords that were not being maintained, given the number of chips and cracks in the blades. A few others leaned axes on their shoulders. The lecher was the only one carrying a gun, a pistol jammed into his belt. It seemed rather foolish to keep a loaded gun aimed at one’s own crotch, but perhaps he was that stupid. Or too poor to keep the gun loaded. Robin managed to bluff her way out of trouble once with an unloaded weapon.

Or he was confident that no one would try anything against him. Robin and her “admirers” were not alone on the road, but no one would meet her eyes as she scanned her surroundings, and no one stepped forward to challenge the bandit.

Robin noticed a small dirt trail to her right, running perpendicular to the road she was on, going directly into the forest. She checked the sky. The sun was almost behind the trees, but there was still good light. Well, she could stall for a bit. She went around the corner of a small store onto the trail, looked over her shoulder once, then sped up just slightly. To an inebriated idiot, she would appear to be nervously increasing her pace, hoping to outdistance them.

“There’s no drinks that way, lovely! Bwahahahaha!”

Robin ignored him, other than noticing he sped up to keep pace, and approached the woods. As she reached the edge of the forest, she broke into a run, darting between the trees and letting the long shadows swallow her up.

The bandit was not deterred. “You want to play a bit first? That’s fine!” He and his men charged into the woods as well, taking long easy strides. A pack of scavengers, thinking themselves wolves.

Or, given the amount of noise they were making, a herd of elephants. Robin outdistanced them easily, so she slowed back down. She didn’t want to spend the night traveling through the woods, alert to the chance these bandits caught up. She hadn’t slept much the last three days, hadn’t slept a whole night in. . . she forgot the last time. 

So, better to deal with them now. She went so far as to leave a trail. A broken limb here, swinging a limb through a noisy berry bush there, smashing a limb against a tree trunk to produce a loud crash somewhere else. The leader of the bandits continued to call out, becoming more mocking and unpleasant. The others joined in, mostly hooting or howling from different areas. She was no doubt meant be terrified that she was surrounded by the terrifying bandits in the scary woods.

Instead, Robin found a small clearing, the last bits of afternoon sun finding its way through gaps in the canopy, and waited patiently. After a few minutes, just as Robin began to wonder if they’d gotten themselves lost or went home, the bandits finally caught up. They looked even dirtier than before, clothes sporting more tears. 

The leader huffed, sweat trickling down the side of his face. “Led me on a merry chase, you fucking tease. You’re going to have to make it up to me. Me, and all my men.” Said men, if the phrase could be said to truly apply, all chuckled and leered.

Robin watched them calmly, no emotion showing on her face. She sized them up as weak bullies from the start. No real threat to her, except for their numbers. Fifteen men was hardly a challenge under normal circumstances, except Robin wished to maintain a low profile. Which meant not using her Devil Fruit powers. At least, not when there were any witnesses to it. Thus, her “panicked” flight into the woods. 

As she raised her arms, preparing to call forth her powers and break all their necks, a loud crash beyond the clearing drew everyone’s attention. A tree had fallen in the woods. After a moment, another tree fell, closer this time. The bandits murmured among themselves, something about bears.

“How the fuck did this forest get here? Where’s the damn village!?”

The owner of the voice stepped into the clearing, kicking a stray limb loose from his pants leg, and pulling a leaf from his green(?) hair, before turning to stare at the scene before him. His grey eyes flicked over Robin for an instant, before settling on the bandit leader. He pulled out a sheet of paper from his pocket and squinted at it.

“Are you Brown Le Roy, also known as “Manure” Le Roy?” 

The bandit’s eyes widened, then glared at the interloper. Judging from the odor Robin caught wafting towards her, the nickname was well-earned. “Yeah. What of it?”

“You have a bounty of $800,000 Beris, and I want a drink.”

“A bounty hunter, huh?” The bandit sneered. “Listen twerp, I’m a little busy at the moment. Why don’t you go jump off a cliff if you’re so eager to die? Assuming you can find one. Bwahahahahah!”

The young man, who Robin noticed was carrying two other swords in addition to the one in his hand, shook his head, and drew the sword in the gleaming white sheath. “I’ve tried that. It’s not difficult enough.”

The leader grunted. “Boys, kill this idiot. Do it quick and I’ll be sure to save you a piece.”

“Right boss!” the men chorused as they rushed forward, blades drawn and axes hefted. Robin turned her attention away from that to focus on the man advancing towards her. There was a witness now, at least for the moment, but she could kill Le Roy without her powers, then deal with his men after.

The sound of metal striking metal rang through the clearing, but no sound of metal striking flesh accompanied it. Not at first, anyway.

“Is that it?” The voice sounded extremely let down.

Robin craned her neck around Le Roy as the bandit turned. The swordsman had blocked all the attacks with his three blades. Then he easily pushed them away and whirled in a circle. The men collapsed, wounds blooming across their chests and limbs, swords and axes shattered or cleaved. The bounty hunter flicked blood from the blades he held in each hand, and shook his head lightly to do the same to the one grasped between his teeth.

Robin had seen quite a lot, but someone wielding a sword with their mouth was a new one.

“What, what did you do to my men?!” Le Roy shouted in outrage.

“Defeated them.”

“Fufufufu.” Robin couldn’t help laughing at the matter-of-fact way the man stated this, even if he was entirely correct to do so. Le Roy swiveled to glare at her before snapping back to the emerald-haired swordsman.

“You bastard!” He went for his pistol, but had barely gotten his hand on it before the swordsman reached him. He swung only the sword in his left hand, in a graceful upward arc that slashed deeply across the bandit’s chest, then cut through the bicep of the arm holding the gun.

Which caused Le Roy’s hand to spasm, and his finger to squeeze the trigger. The sword wound only produced a strangled gurgle from the bandit. (He’d probably scream more once the pain registered.) The bullet striking his groin resulted in an anguished scream as he fell to his knees, clutching himself with the uninjured arm.

“Tch.” The swordsman made a disapproving noise as he again flicked the blood from his blade and looked down at his defeated foe. “What kind of idiot aims a gun at his own body?”

“I had wondered much the same,” Robin interjected, drawing the swordsman’s attention. “Thank you for saving me.” She tried to sound shaken and relieved. She _was_ relieved in a way. Better to not have to use her powers at all.

The swordsman looked her over, grey eyes locking on her blue ones. His gaze was steady and calculating. Not hostile, but not warm at all. Neutral, she decided. He hadn’t decided if she was friend or foe. 

Robin felt herself being sized up, and noticed he hadn’t sheathed his swords. She wondered if he recognized her somehow, even if the picture on her wanted poster was nearly two decades out of date. Or perhaps he was not so different from these men. 

Well, he was clearly stronger, but not so strong it would make a difference if it came to a fight. But -

“I didn’t do this to save you. Like I said, I want a drink, and I’m out of money. And I was hoping this guy would at least be a challenge.” The tone of his voice suggested he’d been disappointed on that last one.

“Still, you did help me, whether it was your intention or not. Thank you.” Robin supposed she could gush more, perhaps swoon a little over his strength to sell it, but she didn’t think it was necessary.

The swordsman did sheathe his blades now, and bent down to grasp the bandit by his uninjured arm, before throwing him over his shoulder like he a sack of rice. He looked back at her over the other shoulder. “All I did was save you the trouble of beating them yourself.”

That startled Robin. Did he recognize her after all? She reflexively dropped back into a ready stance, arms raised and crossed. 

The swordsman’s free hand went to his blade, but he didn’t draw. “Yeah, _that_. You were in that stance when I got here. I don’t recognize the style, but you had something planned. You weren’t frightened at all.”

Robin was impressed he figured out that much, but tried to steer him onto a different course. “I was relieved someone had arrived.”

“Then why didn’t you call out? You didn’t ask me to help or save you, you weren’t pleading. Maybe because you knew they wouldn’t listen, but probably because you didn’t feel like you were in danger.” Robin didn’t know what to say to counter that, but he continued. “I don’t really care. As far as I know, you don’t have a bounty, and I’m not going to go around attacking people just because they might know how to fight.” 

Here he paused and straightened up a little more, facing her squarely. “Unless you want to have a formal duel?”

“No, I’m sorry, Mr. Swordsman, but I will have to decline. I am no fighter. Just a traveling archaeologist.”

The swordsman grunted. “Whatever _that_ is. Fine, I need to get this guy to town and cash the bounty.”

Except the young man began heading back in the direction he’d come, a fact his barely conscious luggage noticed quickly.

“Hey, where are you taking me? Town is the other way! Oh God, he’s going to take me into the woods and eat me! Men, men help me! Get up, you dumbasses!”

The screaming abruptly cut out as the swordsman rapped his fist once on the bandit’s skull, knocking him unconscious. “Why do weaklings always have to be so noisy? And why would I eat him? How would I get the bounty then?”

“He is correct, though, Mr. Swordsman. You are headed the wrong way. The village is this direction.” Robin gestured in the direction she came from.

The bounty hunter stared at her a moment, then followed, mumbling something about moving forests. Since she no longer had to walk slowly to avoid losing the bandits, they swiftly exited the woods and followed the dirt track back into the village.

“Here you are, Mr. Swordsman. I’ll be taking my leave of you.” Robin figured if the Marines were going to be involved with this bandit, it was better to be someplace else.

“Thanks for getting me out of that weird forest. Good luck with your traveling archaeolgisting.”

“And good luck in your search for a drink,” Robin replied with an amused smile. As she turned to follow the main road out of town and away from the bounty hunter, she said to herself, _“With your sense of direction, I suspect you will need all the luck you can get.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couple of timeline notes. Near as I could tell, canon is that Robin reached the Grand Line at 23, teamed up with Crocodile at 24, joined the Straw Hats at 28. Zoro's timeline was a little more vague, in that he was 10 when he last dueled Kuina, and 19 when he joined Luffy. There's also the filler story about how he met Johnny and Yosaku, which was supposed to take place a few years before the Alabasta arc, so I'm estimating him at close to 17 for that.
> 
> In this chapter, Robin's about 25, so Zoro's 16. He was already bounty hunting by the time he met Johnny and Yosaku, so I figure that's not out of the question.


	2. A Suspicious Offer, An Uncertain Alternative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the end of her first year on the Grand Line, Robin finds herself in the crosshairs and looking for a new plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback chapter. I almost never write flashbacks, preferring to just start at the beginning, but it seemed right for this story.

_One year earlier. . ._

Nico Robin felt tired.

She surveyed the dingy tavern that would serve as her home for the night with her typical intense scrutiny, but it took more effort than usual. The other patrons were a mix of pirates, thieves, drunks and riffraff found in such a place. The food was greasy and not terribly appetizing, but the wine wasn’t bad and the table was clean. Small favors, she mused.

It had been a year since Robin had entered the Grand Line. A year spent searching diligently. Scouring every ruin she could, poring over every book, scroll, or tome she could find that might have any information on where to find the Poneglyph she needed. Any Poneglyph, really.

It was slow work. This was only the fourth island she’d reached. The curious nature of the Grand Line didn’t help. Robin was a fair navigator in the West Blue, knew how to read the stars and the winds well enough to get around on her own when she needed to.

Here, all that went out the window. Everything relied on a Log Pose and where it pointed next. Robin didn’t want to have to backtrack, so trying to make sure she didn’t miss any islands was a challenge. Especially given the spotty maps available. The weather didn’t make things easy, either, for someone steering a small boat alone, even when that person could sprout as many hands as they needed.

She reached Piano Island today in the midst of a squall, the weather more throwing her ship into the harbor than her steering it there. Just as well, it had been taking on water rapidly. She abandoned it.

Drenched and weary, she made her way into town, to the first place that offered food and beds. Picking at dinner listlessly, she wished she’d looked a bit more. 

A year here, after 15 in the West Blue. Nothing to show for any of it. She hadn’t found the merest hint of a trace of a clue. How many more islands were there to search? How much longer could she manage it?

A shadow passed in front of her and Robin burst from the maze of her thoughts, instantly alert. But it was nothing, a bleary-eyed man with sunken, stubbled cheeks and a bottle clenched in one hand. He peered into the shadows of her booth. Seeing it was occupied, he mumbled an apology before continuing on his way.

Robin forced herself to eat. She made a promise to Professor Clover and the others, she would find the truth, the history that was believed lost. However long it took. She had sworn to do this, and she would not be deterred. Which meant eating when the opportunity presented itself. She forced her dinner down.

Having eaten as much as she could, Robin rose from the table and climbed the stairs to her room for the evening. She needed to plan for tomorrow. Bookstores to search, questions to ask about possible ruins, supplies to purchase. She’d done it all before, but preferred to be prepared.

Case in point, she formed an eye in her room before entering, so she knew there was someone sitting on her bed. A man, slim, with what would be considered pleasant features. A strong jawline, high cheekbones, eyes almost as blue as hers. He wore a plain brown dockworker’s clothes, a newsboy cap perched on his head at an angle. The only accessory of note was a pin on the collar of his jacket, a “7”. 

Robin opened the door and feigned surprise, looking down at her key. “I’m sorry, I thought this was my room.”

“It is. Please come in and have a seat, Ms. Vogel. I have been asked to present an offer to you.”

Robin acted confused, then offended. “I’m not sure what kind of person you think I am, but I’m not interested.”

The man smiled, an easy, sharklike grin. “It’s not that sort of offer. At least, I assume it isn’t, since it’s for Nico Robin, not Vogel Frei.”

Throughout the conversation, Robin was scanning the other rooms and the rest of the building with her powers. No one showed any interest in their conversation. She shut the door sharply behind her, but kept her distance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not that monster.”

The man shook his head. “My boss is quite sure you are, and he’s not a man to be wrong about that sort of thing. He’s been keeping tabs on you since you entered the Grand Line, and sent me here to await your arrival once he knew your next destination. You know, you can move a lot faster on a ship with an actual crew.” He gave her a knowing wink, and tossed a sealed envelope to her.

Robin caught it with an extra limb, without taking her eyes from him, and saw her name, her true name, written on the outside. She sighed, another offer from a pirate or a criminal to join their crew. The only question whether they expected her to serve as a weapon for them, killing their enemies, or if they wanted to trap her and collect her bounty, possibly an even greater reward from the World Government for ridding the world of the last, troublesome Oharan.

She opened the envelope warily, on the alert for any poisons. She was wearing gloves - it had seemed a wise call given the questionable conditions of the tavern - but it might be something she could inhale. She withdrew the letter and unfolded it, still keeping it at an additional arm’s length. The man chuckled, “You’re a nervous one, aren’t you? You think my boss would try to kill the person he wants to recruit?”

“ _If_ you have a boss, and _if_ he meant to recruit me, perhaps not, but I can be turned in dead for a reward just as well as alive.” The man raised his hands in a placating gesture, an admission of defeat, then fell silent as Robin scanned the letter. 

_“Nico Robin,_

_I know that you seek something rare and precious, but you’re only one person. I am someone with vast connections and power, which can be put at your disposal. In return, I believe your expertise could be of great benefit to my organization and the plans I have._

_To that end, I extend an offer of partnership. If you will accompany Mr. 7, he has a ship waiting that will bring you to a more secure location where we can discuss this in greater detail.”_

_A Benefactor”_

It was more elaborately worded than most of these offers, but still boiled down to the same thing.

“He’s rather vague, both about what he offers and what he expects.”

The man shrugged. “He’s not in the business of sharing his secrets with just anyone. Like the fact he’s offering you an alliance, for example.”

“Who is he?”

“Don’t know, never met him. I don’t know anyone who knows who he is, exactly. We get orders through random couriers, but anything I need, I get.”

Faster than he could react, arms appeared on his body. In seconds, the young man was bent into a painful shape. He tried to cry out in pain, but a hand covered his mouth and nose firmly. After a few seconds, his head thrashed wildly, eyes pleading. Robin eased the pressure. Just barely.

“I really don’t know!” he shouted, but the hand that had covered his mouth placed one finger on them.

He lowered his volume as he continued desperately. “We’re called Baroque Works, but I don’t know who our boss is! Only that he’s called Mr. 0! He might not even be a guy, that might be a fakeout!” Robin raised an eyebrow and gestured as if to increase the pressure again. “I don’t know what he wants you for, or what he’s after! Really, that’s all I can tell you!”

“Not quite. What were your orders if I declined the offer?” The man paled even further, now considerably whiter than the sheets on the bed (not much of an accomplishment, granted), and couldn’t meet her eyes. Robin regarded him curiously. “I wonder how he expected you to manage that. Did he think perhaps your looks would charm me into lowering my guard?” The man’s eyes again shifted down and away. Robin couldn’t help laughing. 

“I’m sorry, but I’m not one to be fooled by a pretty face. The same weakness in others has, after all, saved my life several times.”

“Wait!” he struggled to speak as air became harder and harder to get. “The men on the ship are expecting me. When I don’t turn up, they’ll know to come hunting for us. We have eyes everywhere in the Grand Line!”

Robin’s eyes narrowed, and the hand covered “Mr. Seven’s” mouth again. 

“Then I had best use every moment I have to escape this place, hadn’t I?”

The grip on his throat intensified. His eyes bugged out, face growing red as his struggles grew weaker and weaker. Robin forced herself to remain expressionless. This was a quieter way to kill than breaking him into many pieces, but that didn’t make it more pleasant to carry out. Eventually his struggles ceased entirely, and Robin’s limbs couldn’t feel a heartbeat. She dispersed them cautiously, Mr. Seven remained still.

She couldn’t stay. She didn’t know how quickly the men on the ship, if they existed, would grow suspicious. They might not even know he’d found her yet. Either way, best to move with haste. The few possessions she valued, all her notes and a few mementos, were in the satchel she carried beneath her cloak. She searched him for any other information, but found only a small quantity of Beris. The clothes were generic, no distinguishing labels, the same as any number of people near a port might wear.

She opened the window and peered out. There was a dark alley below, no sight or sound of anyone nearby. Robin easily lifted the body and let it tumble to the muddy alley with a wet “thud”. The building opposite her was only a single-story structure, a general store of some kind. Robin leapt to its roof nimbly, rolling neatly on her landing. She moved stealthily to the far side of the building, checked that there were no witnesses, then made certain her hood was firmly up. She dropped to the ground below and made her way to the outskirts of town.

Piano Island was a summer island large enough to have two ports. One here, on the side of the mountains that was lush and green with rich soil, Ebony, and one on the opposite side, a bleached desert in the rain shadow of the mountains, Ivory. She found a livery stable, and helped herself to a horse. It was nervous at first, but Robin had a way with animals. She normally preferred them to people, anyway. (If you treated animals well, they were much more loyal than people). She patted the horse gently, spoke in a calming tone, fed it a few oats from a bag nearby while she quietly saddled it. She walked it out of the stable and away from the business before climbing on, then nudged it to a gentle canter.

Robin wasn’t aware, unfortunately, that her departure hadn’t gone unnoticed. In the crown of a tree at the edge of the woods behind the stable sat a vulture, seemingly asleep. In the undergrowth below it, a slim, furry creature lay hidden. Both watched her ride away. The otter finished the latest sketch of several it had made since Luc’s body tumbled out the window, then signaled the bird. It stretched its wings and dropped off the branch, grabbing hold of the mustelid firmly in its talons before catching an updraft to gain altitude. It didn’t head towards the port, but out to sea instead, off to some distant destination.

***

The sun broke over the horizon when Robin stepped off the horse. She patted its flanks appreciatively, and fed it a few more oats, murmuring a soft “thank you” for carrying her so far without difficulty. They were almost to the outskirts of Ivory, and Robin, figuring the horse probably made regular journeys between the two cities, decided against riding it into town. Sure enough, when she patted its rump to send it on its way, it continued directly into town, towards a livery stable that looked very similar to the one she found it in.

On foot, Robin circled the edge of town and entered another way. She had seen a map that said there was a relatively low pass through the mountains that could be used sometimes. She’d pretend she crossed that way.

Her eyes drooped and her stomach grumbled. Last night’s supper hadn’t been much, and the adrenaline burned most of it up. She hadn’t slept, because she couldn’t risk the horse bringing her into contact with people while she was asleep, and she needed to use the darkness to put distance between herself and the dead man. She needed off this island, the sooner the better. If there were people hunting her, they would have to be idiots not to think to check the only other town on the island.

She saw a small, reasonably nice restaurant on one street and walked in, scanning it for exits and anyone who looked suspicious, just like always. She settled in a corner booth, and a waitress approached. An older woman, round body and face, a big smile creasing the face pleasantly, deep dimples suggesting its owner smiled often. It looked genuine, Robin noted dully. It always surprised her to find people so open and friendly. She wondered how carefree their lives could be to allow that.

“You look like you’ve had a rough trip, hun,” the waitress remarked. 

Robin gave a tired smile, which she didn’t even have to fake. “It was a long hike. May I have some coffee first? The strongest you have, please?”

“Certainly, dear. You look at the menu and I’ll be right back. Name’s Caroline, by the by.” If she noted Robin didn’t offer a name in return, she didn’t show it.

Robin looked at the menu, and weighed her hunger against the likelihood she would have to pay for passage off the island. But where to go?

“I’m tellin’ ya, it’s true!” The voice cut into her thoughts and she glanced at the source. A middle-aged man, beard already turning white, all the starker for the contrast with his deeply weathered face, seated at the counter, talking with the cook who worked feverishly at the stove while glancing up from time to time to respond.

Such as now. “Come off it. What could be so important out in the East Blue, of all places?” Robin felt her appetite shrink as she noticed he was smoking a large cigar while cooking. “There’s barely any pirates there, at least none worth the name, right?”

“There are a few. Buggy the Clown, Don Krieg, Kuro of a Thousand Plans. . .”

I thought Kuro was executed recently.”

“No, but papers said the Marines are gonna catch him soon for sure.” A young boy, seated a table nearby with what were probably his parents, added this fact. His mother shushed him, telling him to eat his pancakes. The boy dug in with gusto, the sight of which, combined with the pleasant smells emanating from the kitchen, reignited Robin’s appetite, her stomach making its opinion known. Loudly enough the man at the counter turned at the sound, and laughed.

“Sounds like you better order the whole menu miss,” he said with good humor. The cook shook his head again, grinning and encouraging her to do just that.

Robin ducked her head, embarrassed at her lapse. But being the target of some gentle teasing was better than being the target of curses and attempts on her life. “I’m sorry for interrupting. Please go on with what you were saying,” she said as Caroline returned with the coffee. “I think I’d like what the young man over there is having,” Robin gestured at the boy, who was drowning his pancakes in syrup.

“I hope you don’t use as much syrup as him, or we’re fixin’ to run out,” Caroline teased gently, then simply turned and shouted the order at the cook, who nodded once. In the meantime, Robin sipped her coffee, which was indeed strong, and listened as the man at the counter started in again.

“Where was I?”

“You were tryin’ to name pirates in the East Blue, because that was gonna prove something.”

“That there’s stuff there worth taking!”

“But you said you heard it from your nephew. He works on a merchant ship.”

“Well, yeah. He told me they had a passenger a month ago. Real smart guy. Brought a ton of books with him, spent all his time in his room, wouldn’t even talk with them. My nephew brought him his meals a few times, said he saw these papers with weird writing pinned to all the walls. He’d never seen writing like that before!”

Robin stilled at that, wondering at the possibility. The cook, however, was unconvinced, as he put a plate of pancakes (with eggs and sausage on the side) out. “That don’t mean much. Your nephew couldn’t spell “cat” if you spotted him the C-A-T.”

“You callin’ my nephew stupid?!” Without a word, Caroline weaved between this exchange, scooping the plate up and delivering it to Robin with a smile, which Robin returned gratefully. She tore into the food with an enthusiasm that put the boy’s to shame.

“Aren’t you the one that told me he nailed his shoes to the deck once so he wouldn’t get blown away in a storm? While his feet were in them?”

“Well, yeah, but shut up. Listen! They reach their destination, the smart guy gets off with all his books, and gets picked up on this little Marine ship. No insignia, or division markings.” 

The customer leaned forward now, as if he planned to whisper, but continued speaking in the same loud tone. “Then last week, at a different island, the same ship shows up, picks up a bunch of crates from them. The Marines were really strict about procedures and stuff, too. Didn't want help moving them on their ship, wouldn’t even let them offer to help load it.”

“What’s in the crates?”

“He's not sure. They weren't listed as part of their cargo, but the Marines knew exactly how many there were supposed to be. He’s not sure, it’s all packed up tight. He thinks one of them had shovels and digging tools, maybe. And no one knows where they're going with it.”

“So?”

“Sooo, with that much secrecy, there’s got to be somethin’ good there!”

“Aww, Foody, you’re nuts! It’s probably just a training ground for rookie Marines! They don’t want pirates to know so they can’t attack a bunch of wet-behind-the-ears kids.”

Robin departed the diner an hour later, after demolishing her breakfast and drinking two more cups of coffee. That latter may have been a mistake, judging by how jittery she felt, but perhaps not. Perhaps she was simply excited. 

She politely questioned “Foody”, which really seemed a better name for the cook, over breakfast, but he couldn’t tell her anything else. Only that no one was sure who these Marines served under, or where, or what they were doing. 

It was a long shot. But Marines bases were typically resupplied by Marine vessels, to lower the losses of supplies from pirate attacks. Why hide the supplies on commercial vessels? If the Marines were running supplies there regularly, including researchers, possibly linguists, it had to be something important. And if they were still going, still digging, then they hadn’t finished whatever they were doing. And if it was secret, then it might be. . .

Robin increased her pace, heading for the docks. She needed to find a boat off the island first, then she’d figure a way into the East Blue once she had some distance.

***

Elsewhere, a man stood on a balcony, overlooking a vast sea of sand. Like the cook in that small diner, he smoked a cigar, although his was so large you might suspect he was compensating for something. Certainly the large gold hook in place of the missing hand wasn’t serving a similar purpose, no sir.

He turned his head up as the vulture perched on the arch of the entryway back into the darkened room. The otter dropped to the floor soundlessly and handed a waterproof attaché case, inside of which was the otter’s sketchbook. The man perused the drawings, the look on his face darkening as his teeth bit down on the cigar until it broke and fell to the floor.

The otter and vulture shrank back, doing their best to not draw attention. In the distance, the sand began to swirl and twist, then spiral into the air. The man looked up, and noticing this, forcibly relaxed. In response, the sandstorm died out before it tore into the resort he owned.

“I should have gone myself,” he growled. He turned with a flourish of the large coat draped over his broad shoulders and marched into the room towards a desk. He scribbled something hastily on a piece of paper, sealed it in an envelope and returned to the balcony, handing it and one of the sketches of Robin back to the otter.

“Show this to all the leaders of the Billions, make sure they keep their eyes peeled for her.” Without a word, the vulture picked up the otter and the two departed over the desert. The man watched them go before turning the other direction. “In the meantime, there’s still more to do. . .”

The sand began to swirl and twist once more, heading in the direction he gazed. Towards the capitol of the desert kingdom, with its secret he so coveted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so Crocodile learns a valuable lesson about when not to delegate responsibility.
> 
> In the manga, Crocodile says Robin approached him, which always struck me as odd. That she'd willingly approach a Warlord, especially one with a Devil Fruit her powers were useless against. I figured he found her, and made the "work for me or I'll kill you" offer, and she accepted rather than, you know, die.
> 
> "Vogel" is German for "bird". "Frei" is German for "Free". Yeah, I know. Rest assured, the alias she'll use most of the time in the East Blue is much cooler.


	3. Surprises, Pleasant and Otherwise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin's search in the East Blue begins, but she finds out the "weakest sea" holds greater dangers than she suspected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more flashback chapter. After this, we catch back up to Chapter 1 and proceed forward.

_Several months later. . ._

“Of course you may see my collection!” the older gentleman gushed as he pulled the door open and beckoned his guest enter. Then, without another glance back, he hurried deeper into his home. 

Robin turned and closed the door behind her before following. She was excited, but forced herself to proceed at a sedate pace. It both was and wasn’t the expensive dress and heels she was wearing. Robin was more than capable of running in such an outfit if necessary, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for the person she was pretending to be. Goa Kingdom was a land defined by what class you belonged to. “Ms. Winterfast Elizabeth” was meant to be a woman of the upper class, with impeccable etiquette. It opened a lot of doors, but also forced Robin to dress and behave a particular way. 

(Even with as many hands as she could bring to the chore, getting her hair done up in this complicated series of curls and bobs had taken quite some time.)

Robin’s research revealed there were several known Marine bases of various sizes in the East Blue, but not many major ports. So she started her investigation from the civilian shipping side, figuring there might be less security guarding any information on shipments to Marines. So far, she had no success, but it was very early days. Just reaching the East Blue from the Grand Line had been difficult, and there were still other possibilities. 

(She intended to hold off infiltrating Marine bases for as long as possible. East Blue Marines weren’t likely to pose much of a threat, but Robin hadn’t survived nearly 17 years being carelessly overconfident.)

In the meantime, she kept alert for any other possible leads through other channels. There might be other resources or ruins that could point the way, or offer clues to Poneglyphs elsewhere. Which was what brought her here.

The hall ended at a door which was already standing open, the man waiting impatiently just inside. 

“Well, come on, come on,” he gestured, reminding Robin more of an eager child than a man probably approaching 70.

Still, all the book dealers she spoke to since reaching the East Blue insisted Lord Dickens Nigel had the largest collection of books in the sea. Based on the islands Robin had seen so far, that might not be saying much, but upon entering the library, she had to admit it was quite impressive for a private collection.

A fact the man was entirely aware of. Seeing Robin’s eyes roaming the shelves, he practically beamed. “The work of my entire adult life, to compile this collection.”

“It’s most impressive,” Robin agreed. “I see Howlett’s work on the rituals of the Wagner Island Witches. That’s quite rare.”

Dickens’ head bobbed in a series of sharp nods. “Yes, yes. Quite difficult to acquire. Spared no expense.”

“I would imagine so, since he was said to have promised the inhabitants he wouldn’t publish anything about their activities if he was allowed to observe. I heard he barely finished an initial write-up before they killed him.” Robin walked slowly among the shelves, fingers gliding gently over the bindings, eyes scanning titles.

“That’s true, yes indeed. It was said they used their magicks to separate his body into several pieces and scattered them across the island. Poppycock, of course. More likely they merely chopped him up. Or that he was ambushed by bandits as he traveled.”

Robin murmured noncommittally, only half listening. Lord Dickens did have some impressive works, but he also had some fakes, the book purporting to be Howlett’s one of them. Professor Clover told her the man had been killed for his transgression before he’d even begun turning his notes into a manuscript. “Have you read through it?”

“Read through it?” he echoed. “No, I haven’t had time yet. I keep meaning to, but then more books arrive, or I receive word of where another book is, and I’m off on another hunt.”

“It sounds as though enjoying your collection will have to wait until it is complete.”

“Complete?” He said the word as if it was entirely new to him. “Oh, I don’t know that it will _ever_ be complete. There is seemingly always another book to pursue, so I imagine I will be at it until I die. I do enjoy showing the collection to other people, especially someone of obvious intelligence. Most people are merely impressed by the number of books, but I could see you recognize the knowledge contained here.”

“Thank you. It is certainly an honor. I wonder, do you have any works on ancient civilizations here in the East Blue?”

Lord Dickens paused to think. “Ancient civilizations in the East Blue? I’m not sure there have been any studies on that. Well, there are rumors of ruins somewhere off the coast of Warship Island. They’re said to be hidden on another island in the endless fog, and that no one can find their way through.” He paused. “But the legends also say that dragons once returned to Warship Island to breed, so I doubt you can put much stock in those.”

“Well, legends are of great interest to me. The stories people once devised to explain what they didn’t understand can provide great insight into their lives and beliefs.”

“That’s an admirable perspective. I have something here somewhere, give me a moment.” He roamed to the far corner of the room, returning a minute later with a thin tome. “It’s not much, but it’s the only work I’ve found on the history of Warship Island.”

Robin accepted the book, and flipped through it slowly, scanning pages. It looked like a compilation of oral histories, but no sign any research done to corroborate anything. She doubted it would be of use, but as a last resort. . . “And there are no other islands with anything?”

Lord Dickens frowned. “No, most islands in the East Blue only show recent settlement. Goa Kingdom is one of the oldest, and nothing here predates the establishment of the World Government. Actually, there is one book, I know it’s here somewhere, suggesting that was, in itself, suspicious.”

Robin’s eyebrows perked up. “Meaning someone had tried to erase all evidence?”

“I’m not sure. I never had time to do more than skim it, but I think it was more that the East Blue may have been the site of a cataclysm, which is why it is so sparsely populated. Let’s see, where did I put it?” He wandered off, mumbling, leaving Robin to scan the book in her hand.

“Found it! _Deceptive Calm: The Forgotten Devastation of the East Blue_! I’m not certain there’s anything to it, but if it’s of interest to you, you’re welcome to look through it.”

Robin skimmed though it. “Interesting premise, but the evidence looks rather circumstantial. The writing style is quite engaging, though.”

“I imagine so. I always told Lehane she would have made a fortune in writing fiction. Pity what happened.”

“What do you mean?”

“Dr. Lehane was a professor at a university on Cozia. There was an incident of some sort there a little over 10 years ago, and the island never recovered. Many deaths, as I understand it.”

“Did the Marines investigate?”

“I have no idea. We have no interactions with Marines here any longer. They were told to stay out by a Celestial Dragon, and they do. Except for that one.”

Robin thought this book might be more useful than she’d first assumed. If the Ancient Weapons were as powerful as the World Government believed, they might be the cause of the cataclysm, if there was one. She had no interest in them, but anything of the Ancients might hold a clue. And the World Government would certainly want it hidden or destroyed, unless they could turn it to their advantage. Still, Lord Dickens’ qualifier drew her attention. “Just one?”

He nodded. “Yes. He’s a high-ranking officer, I believe. I’ve never met him, but he’s quite loud, and rude from what I hear. He’ll walk right through your wall instead of opening the door! What kind of person does that?! Just because he’s some great hero doesn’t mean he can be so callous!”

Robin found that Marines were callous whether they were “heroes” or not. “He calls himself a hero?”

Shake of the head. “No, that’s what everyone else says. I can’t remember his name. Gorp? The Fist?”

Robin paled. “Vice-Admiral Garp comes here?”

“That’s his name! Fortunately, he only passes through once or twice a year, usually about this time. He’s always headed for the jungles in the middle of the island. I say, are you alright? Don’t worry, he has never once walked through my house. I think I’m far enough away from his path.”

Robin wanted to be anywhere else right now, even as her logical mind insisted the odds Garp would be here now were almost infinitesimal, even if Lord Dickens’ reckoning could be believed. Without realizing it, she began spawning eyes all over the area, scanning for any sign of the famous Marine. She didn’t disperse them, but forcibly brought her attention to the antiquarian in front of her.

“That’s very good news. It would be a horrible loss were any of these books damaged or exposed to the elements because someone walked through your house.”

“I agree entirely. Now, let me see if I can think of any other books on legends of this sea. There’s a recent one of a pirate that filled a tower on some island with gold, but that’s from within my lifespan.”

“Yes, that would be too recent for my interests,” Robin replied absently, her eyes pausing on a particular book. She felt herself drawn to it.

 _The Gap in Knowledge_. By Professor Clover. Robin felt something catch in her throat.

“Oh, that book. I hope I can trust you not to mention I own it. Anything written by those scholars of Ohara is considered forbidden. But that makes it so much more vital to preserve!”

Robin controlled the urge to rip the book from the shelf and jam it in her dress. “I agree. Knowledge is something that should be preserved. Which I imagine is what the author argued.”

“Hmm, yes. I had time to read that one a few years ago. He seemed like a passionate, knowledgeable man. Hard to believe he was seeking the means to destroy the World Government.”

“Yes, one might almost say impossible.” Robin’s voice was flat, because that was the best she could manage in keeping it from being arctic cold. She changed the topic.

“So you don’t know if Dr. Lehane is still alive?”

“No, but seeing as she hasn’t published anything since that book, I find it unlikely. Still, she may have simply retired.”

Robin scribbled a few important things down in her notebook from the two books, then handed them back to Lord Dickens. “Thank you again for the opportunity to see your collection. I hope you do find time to read a few more of them.”

“I was glad to be of service! As I said, it’s rare to meet someone with a real interest in history!” As he turned to replace the two books in their proper locations, Robin slipped Professor Clover’s book into her bag, and prepared to leave. But when Lord Dickens turned, he found her still standing in place, a stricken look on her face.

“Are you certain you’re alright? You really don’t look well.” He peered closely at her. Her gaze seemed focused on something in the far distance, and it was several seconds before she reacted. 

“No, I was just realizing the ship I booked passage on leaves sooner than I thought. I’ll have to hurry if I want to be on it. Thank you again.” With that, she bowed once, and slowly, head held high as an aristocrat would, then left house, even as the old man was commenting how he too, often forgot his travel arrangements and was left scrambling to be on time. Once out the door, she turned the corner of the house and began taking a twisting path through the alleys towards the docks, all senses on alert to avoid the threat she’d seen just a few minutes ago.

* * *

Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp roamed the streets of the Goa Kingdom. He didn’t much care for the place, full of foppish idiots looking down their snooty noses at anyone they thought inferior. But it was easier to surprise Luffy and Ace if he landed here than at Foosha Village. Makino or one of the other villagers would find some way to warn his grandsons he was on the way. So Goa Kingdom it was.

He ambled towards the edge of town, opting not to take the most direct path this time. People always raise such a fuss when he walks through their homes. Even Sengoku, who really ought to be used to it by now. 

Despite his air of indifference and, well, stupidity, Garp was no fool. He’d survived countless battles. He knew he was being watched, and not by the regular residents. They all tried their best to not make eye contact, while still be aware enough of him to give a wide berth. Did they think he was going to walk through them as well? Well, that might be funny if one of them gave him some sass, but otherwise there was no point.

No, this was a different gaze, one of intense interest. The Marine reached out with his senses to find the person responsible. Imagine his surprise that it was a single eye, sitting on the underside of the overhang of a roof. A Devil Fruit user, then. Not too common in the East Blue. Could be Buggy. The Clown preferred to avoid the Marines, so Garp wouldn’t have been surprised if he attacked Goa. Except Buggy avoided Garp like the plague, always dropping from sight whenever Garp was in the East Blue. (How he knew to vanish, Garp couldn't figure out.) Besides, if Buggy was on a raid, these people wouldn’t be this calm.

Which left another, very _interesting_ possibility, which the Marine decided to test. Extending his Observation Haki to its maximum extent, Garp paused in the street, then turned his head and looked directly at the peeping eye, giving it a terrifying grin. There would be no doubt in the person on the other end that he was aware of their spying. 

There was a small, but noticeable rise in the tension of several people around him. Probably because they associated him smiling with things being destroyed. But none of them were significantly more nervous than any other. Several blocks away though, a single person experienced a sharp spike in what could only be terror. The eye dispersed in a small shower of petals.

Nico Robin was in the East Blue. Interesting, indeed. The last the Marines knew she’d entered the Grand Line, but that was almost two years ago. He couldn’t imagine what she was doing here, unless she decided to search all the Blues for the Poneglyphs first, before tackling the Grand Line. Not a bad plan, really. The Blues were all much weaker. Weaker pirates and bounty hunters, weaker Marines. The Grand Line separated the wheat from the chaff. 

(The New World separated the, hmm, best wheat from the more run-of-the-mill stuff. Fancy cracker wheat versus generic cracker wheat. Garp might need to work on that analogy. Preferably while eating some crackers. For comparison’s sake, of course.)

Garp watched through his Observation Haki for a few minutes more. Long enough to see her leave the building she was in and try to make her way to the docks while avoiding him. He could easily charge through homes right at her, or simply leap over everything and land right in front of her. Roger ultimately hadn’t escaped him, Nico Robin certainly couldn’t. All he had to do was decide to capture her. 

Instead, Garp shrugged and continued towards the jungle. He knew Aokiji let her escape all those years ago, out of some loyalty to his friend Saul. That was fine. Garp knew the charges against Ohara’s scholars were bullshit, just like he knew the story that pirates were responsible for what happened was bullshit. He only acted like an idiot. He might mention coming across her to the iceman when he got back to Marineford. If he remembered. 

Right now, he was on vacation. Time to get back to training his grandsons. He’d thump these notions of being a pirate out of them once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I go back and forth on Garp. Part of me says, "Luffy's grandpa can't be that bad." The other part says, "He was actively preventing anyone from rescuing his grandson from the execution platform, when he should have been beating Akainu into a bloody stain on the rocks." In this case, I have deferred to Garp being chaotic, but not a complete asshole. You know, by Marine standards.


	4. Following Leads to Ruin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin's got an author she wants to find. First, she needs a way to reach Cozia. Then she has to survive what she finds there.

_The day after meeting Zoro. . ._

Robin approached the docks of Caramello Island’s largest town, Nougat. There hadn’t been any other towns between Nougat and the village where she encountered Le Roi and the bounty hunter, so she walked through the night. She stopped at a stand selling fruit for a quick breakfast. While she was eating, she asked the stand owner where she could find Martinet’s Boats, who pointed in the right direction.

A large bell rang deeply as Robin entered the shop. The walls and shelves were lined with various bits of nautical equipment. Sextants, sails, ropes, that sort of thing. A counter stood directly ahead, but there was no one behind it. Robin approached, looking for a bell or something she would use to announce there was a customer here, seeing as the one over the door hadn’t produced results.

Gentle breathing floated over the counter as she approached. Leaning over, she spied a cot against the wall, and in it, an old man with a sleeping cap, blankets pulled up to his chin. His bushy white beard stuck out over the covers. Robin rapped on the counter lightly, and the man’s eyes opened, blinking rapidly at her.

“Go ‘way,” he mumbled, and turned on his side towards the wall. “I told the mayor I’d pay my taxes next week.”

“I am not here to collect taxes,” Robin explained, “I wish to charter a boat.”

In a flash, the man was standing at the counter in front of her. The sleeping cap had vanished, although he was still in a long flannel nightgown. Robin took a startled step back at how quickly he moved. 

He appeared not to notice. “That’s another matter entirely! Where you wanting to go?”

“The island of Cozia.” 

The man’s face fell. “Can’t help you.” He bent down to retrieve his sleeping cap from the floor, and made to return to bed.

“Why not? From the maps I have seen, Cozia is not far. I was told you would ferry people there. Can I at least have an estimate of what it will cost?”

The old man turned to her again. “Tain’t about the money. Some things a man values more than that, like his life. ‘Specially an old man, who ain’t got much of it left, and tain’t in no hurry for it to end.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand. I know Cozia suffered an attack –“

“Yeah, and there’s nothing there worth seeing no longer. Nobody goes there now, nobody from there comes out, either. It’s a cursed place.”

Robin sighed, deciding to take a different tack. “Could I rent a boat, and sail there myself?”

His laugh was a raspy bark. “Rent one of my boats? Hell no. If you want ta go to Cozia you can _buy_ one of my boats, because ya sure as hell won’t be bringing it back.” 

He resumed laughing as he finished speaking, only to be cut off by Robin’s firm response. “Very well. How much to purchase one of your boats?”

He looked at her closely. “There must be something there you want real bad, ma’am.”

“Perhaps, but that is my business, and if I buy the boat, I would say it’s none of yours. The price?” Perhaps harsher than necessary, but she was tired, and he was wearing on her nerves.

Martinet scowled at her. “400,000 Beris will get you my smallest ship, the _Pipit_.” He gestured out the window to a small craft bobbing gently in the waves.

Robin checked her finances. Running low. The clothes she wore to visit Lord Dickens hadn’t been cheap, and she couldn’t afford to keep them after her abrupt departure. She sold them for a fraction of their cost. Given more time, she’d have pickpocketed several of the upper crust on her way out of Goa, but hadn’t wanted to do anything to raise a hue and cry that might point Garp in her direction.

(He had seen her observing him. That was obvious. But after a few minutes, he continued into the jungle. Robin didn’t understand, but wouldn’t look a gift Sea King in the mouth. If he typically stayed there two weeks, Robin had that much time to get far away from Dawn Island and hope he couldn’t locate her again.)

“Will the offer still hold if I bring the money tomorrow?”

“Listen missy, in a small village like this, a businessman won’t go far if he don’t keep his word. You bring that 400 grand tomorrow, next week, or next year, and I’ll sell you that boat, jes’ like I said.”

Robin nodded, then turned and left the shop to seek out a bar. This would be complicated. As the shipwright said, word gets around in a small village. If several citizens noticed they’d been quietly robbed, suspicion would quickly fall on the stranger. Especially if it became known she needed money. She needed to earn it in a relatively legitimate way, but quickly.

* * *

Fortunately for her, Robin was a good card player, even without cheating via her powers. She had the memory to remember cards and odds, and her poker face was excellent. Especially against the class of competitor she encountered in Nougat. 

It was 9 o’clock in the evening, and Robin was on her third bar and fifth different card game. It was slow going, but her funds were increasing. Most of the games were for low stakes, but most of them also involved almost exclusively drunk, prideful men. Drunk, prideful men were easy to goad into raising their bet limits, especially when it was a woman goading them. Even more so when she had been taking their money again and again.

Or it usually was easy. In the current hand, it was down to Robin and one other player, named Sid. Sid was definitely drunk, but wasn’t rising to the bait. His barely raised.

“Come now, Sid, don’t you have more confidence in your hand than that?” Robin let her voice rise, toeing the line between teasing and emasculating. She pushed her hair back over her ear, something she'd been trying to play up as a tell she was bluffing. “I suppose I can understand if you don’t. You haven’t been up to the challenge so far.”

One of the other players shook his head and winced at the dig. Sid’s head wobbled as he squinted across the table at her, but he didn’t speak. He glanced back at his cards, then tried to shuffle them.

Robin had three of a kind. She was sure it was enough, she just needed to get Sid’s ego running ahead of his sense. She pushed all her winnings into the pile.

“This seems a safe decision, then.”

Sid gawked, then put his cards down. Disappointed, Robin scraped the not-so-large-as-she-hoped pile to her, while Sid’s friends gathered around him. One of them lifted his hand, and released a strangled gasp.

“You had a straight flush, you dumbass!”

Sid blinked owlishly at him. “No I didn’t. I had 2, 3, 4, 5, but not 6.”

Another friend smacked him over the head. “An ace counts as a 1!”

“It does?”

“YOU KNOW THIS!” The entire group shouted. They helped him to his feet. “Go home, Sid, you’re too wasted to play.”

The man nodded drowsily and stumbled from the bar. The other three players turned back to Robin. She smiled pleasantly.

“Well gentlemen, I suppose that is a reminder of the old saying that fortune favors the bold.” She leaned forward, batting her lashes. “I’m sure none of you are lacking in boldness.”

As the three of them settled back into their seats, Robin made a note to perhaps use her powers until she was done. Just in case. She couldn't afford to lose.

* * *

Robin entered Martinet’s shop bright and early the next morning with just over 450,000 Beris. The old man goggled at the bills briefly, then shrugged and placed the money in a safe before leading her out to the dock. _Pipit_ bobbed cheerfully in the gentle swells as it had yesterday, although Robin noticed the sails looked freshly laundered, and the hull looked cleaner. The name of the ship also appeared to have been repainted, standing out in a neat maroon script against the white hull. 

It was a small, single-mast sailing craft, a cabin in the middle of the deck. There was one steering wheel in the cabin, along with a tiny stove, and a table in one corner with benches on either side. A staircase next to the wheel led below to sleeping quarters (only one bed), and a small shower. Another wheel sat on the open-air bridge on top of the cabin. There was a hatch in the forward section, to access the hold.

“Here she is.” At Robin’s raised eyebrow, he explained “I figured ya’d be back, so I spent yesterday making sure everything was shipshape. Glad I did. Didn’t expect you back so soon. I know she don’t look like much, but listen: I build and maintain every ship, and I vouch for her seaworthiness. I’m guessing ya know how to handle a ship, so she’ll get ya to Cozia. It’ll be up to ya to keep yaself alive long enough to leave.”

He paused. “Unless ya want to find someone foolish enough to go with ya. There’s enough room for two people easy. More than that if ya don’t mind bein’ a little cramped.”

Robin, already on-board and preparing to cast off, paused to watch him carefully. “Did you have someone in mind, or have you changed your mind about going?”

“Hell no, I tain’t changed my mind, and I wouldn’t recommend no fool ta go along with ya on this trip.”

“Oi, old man. What the hell are you doing here?” The two of them turned to the voice and Robin was surprised to see the bounty hunter from two days before standing at the top of the stairs leading to the berth.

The shipwright scowled. “What do ya mean, what am I doing here? This is where I’ve had my business for 40 years!”

The green-haired man scratched his head in confusion. “I thought your business was in Nougat?”

“This is Nougat! Did you get yourself turned around again?” He turned to Robin. “This idiot already spent a day trying to get across the island. I thought I got him straightened out two days ago, then he shows up yesterday afternoon. So I tries again to send him on his way, and here he is!”

The swordsman looked as annoyed as Martinet. “So you’re saying this _isn’t_ Toffee?”

“No, for the 15th time, it isn’t Toffee! That is on the other side of the island, straight down the path I’ve pointed out to you 14 times!” The old man stomped his feet in exasperation, then had to stop and catch his breath.

“It would seem you perhaps need a guide, Mr. Swordsman,” Robin observed with a chuckle. “Otherwise you will die of thirst before you find that drink.”

Zoro turned his gaze to her. “Oh, the traveling arky-something person. You heading out?”

“Archaeologist, and yes, part of being a traveling archaeologist is traveling to new places to catalogue things.”

“Yeah, she’s just as much a fool as you, so maybe you should go together,” the shipwright grumbled before turning to Robin. “In fact, I’ll give you half your money back if you take him away so I never have to try and give him directions again!”

Zoro crossed his arms over his chest with a frown. “Unless she’s going to Toffee, I’m not interested.”

Robin was relieved he rejected the offer. Despite the fact she wouldn’t mind having 200,000 Beris back (and maybe the shipwright’s warnings were making her a little wary of Cozia’s dangers), she didn’t relish the idea of being on a small boat with a bounty hunter. She shrugged apologetically to Mr. Martinet as he hung his head in defeat. She finished casting off and moved to push her new craft away from the dock.

“Farewell, Mister Swordsman. I’m sure you will find your way to Toffee eventually.”

“Will you stop calling me that, Miss Archaeologist? My name is Roronoa Zoro.”

“Very well, Mister Roronoa, it is. My name is Gespenst Raserei.”

“Neither of ya bothered to introduce yourselves to me,” Martinet grumbled.

“You did not ask.”

“’Course not! What’s the point of knowing the names of fools?”

“But it’s very sad, even for a fool, to die unremembered and unlamented,” Robin said with a cryptic smile. “Mister Roronoa, will you promise to remember my name if I die?”

She expected him to laugh it off, or dismiss her. Instead the bounty hunter looked at her skeptically for a moment, trying to decide if she was teasing, before shrugging. “It’s a weird name, but sure. Don’t know what good it’ll do. Good luck with your cataloguing.”

* * *

Nothing appeared amiss about the island of Cozia as it came into view. After Martinet’s warnings, her imagination ran wild despite her best efforts to prevent it. She had half-expected to see a scorched wasteland, skulls of the former residents stacked into mountains waiting at the shore with dark clouds covering the sky from horizon to horizon.

She knew that was overly dramatic, but with no further information to go on as to Cozia’s state, she hadn’t been able to form much of a concrete plan. Which left her mind free to pursue those wild fancies. 

The reality she spied through her glass was far more mundane. Cozia was a moderately-sized island, a mountain range spanning the middle of the island, surrounded by flat open plains. A forest sat at the base of the mountains, and one town was visible. It didn’t look large, the buildings sparsely located from what she could see, but it was at least still there, and there was a dock on the coastline.

Of course, that dock was devoid of other ships. Not even a rowboat. There were no people, either. No one lounging by the shore enjoying the breeze, or casting a line into the sea. Robin tied _Pipit_ to the dock securely and threw her pack over her shoulder. She checked her surroundings, but only confirmed no one was there. The few buildings, storehouses and a ticket counter, looked long abandoned, and nothing in them offered a clue to the location of the author, or if Lehane Mary was even still alive. 

Robin set her gaze on the outline of the town in the distance, and started across the plain. Things were more encouraging, as she saw earth that had recently been turned over. 

_‘Someone is still farming, at least.’_

Although it was very irregular, and odd for the fields to be empty during the day. Perhaps the people here took the midday off from work? It was almost blindingly bright out, with enough humidity serious exertion would grow unpleasant fast. She scanned the plains in all directions, but there were no farmhouses, or any structures.

Robin stopped as she spied something sticking up from a small patch of upturned earth. Curious, she stepped off the path and cut across the field towards it. When she drew close enough, she slowed, and eventually stopped several feet away.

It was a bone. Arm bone most likely, judging by the shape. Human. Robin was instantly on alert, arms raised, searching in all directions, expecting a trap to be sprung.

She was alone. She looked back to the town, its dark, silent buildings taking on a more ominous shade in light of this discovery. The woods surrounded the town, undergrowth wild and dense, obscuring the interior.

Robin shook her head. The warnings of Martinet were influencing her. There were any number of explanations that were merely sad, rather than sinister. An animal dug up an unfortunate deceased, for example. The author Lehane might be a dead end, but Robin wouldn’t know until she tried, and she had come this far. She returned to the path, but the worrying feeling refused to leave. It grew as she drew closer and discovered the reason for the scattered placement of the buildings.

The structures had not been spaced widely in a seemingly random pattern. The buildings she had seen were simply the only ones still standing. The rest were smashed or burnt down, judging by the charred piles of wood and crumbled stone she found as she reached the outskirts. The few standing structures looked damaged, but still livable. She approached the nearest, a simple one-story stone house with a wood roof. She knocked and waited. The door opened a crack. A pair of brown eyes stared out at her in surprise and confusion.

“Hello. I was wondering if you could tell me if Lehane Mary lives on this island, and if you could-“ The door slammed in her face. Robin waited a moment, then knocked again, politely.

“Go ‘way,” came the muffled answer.

“I am sorry to bother you, but I have never been to Cozia before and-“

“Obvious. This isn’t Cozia anymore. It’s Skeever’s Land.”

“Who is Skeever?”

“The one who rules this land now, obvious. If he’s not found you yet, better to leave before he does. Or you never will.”

“If you can tell me whether Miss Lehane lives here or not, I will be glad to leave.”

“Don’t know her! Never heard of her! Can’t help! Go ‘way!” The panicked, rapid denial told Robin these were lies, but the person sounded near enough to tears she probably would have responded that way no matter the question. 

“Is there anyone who might know?”

“Rosa is older than me. She might know. To the right, ‘round the corner. Go quick, then leave. You’ll get us in trouble.”

“Thank you,” Robin stepped away quickly and followed the directions. She barely turned the corner when a voice called out from an alley to her left.

“You have permission to be here, lady?” 

Robin turned to a man dressed bizarrely. His clothes – Robin couldn’t tell if it was a singlet or separate pants and shirt – were entirely black. Which made the human bones he wore over it stand out even more. A few leg and arm bones roped to his body in the locations they would reside beneath his skin.

“I was not aware I required permission,” she responded. “There was no one at the dock requiring me to pass through customs.”

“Heh, customs. You’re a funny one. Isn’t she funny, Bert?” Another man stepped into view from an alley in the direction she’d been going. Dressed the same, but with only finger bones tied onto his hands.

“Yes, very funny. Clever too. You gain permission by giving everything you have to Skeever, and if he approves, you can join us. Or become food for us.”

“I’m afraid neither of those options suit me. I only wish to speak to one person, if they still live here, and then depart.”

“We know everyone on the island. Don’t we, Bert?”

“Sure we do. Only cost you whatever is in the pack.”

Robin raised her hands and shrugged. “I don’t have anything inside there except some papers. Notes on my travels.”

Surprisingly, the two didn’t seem bothered by this. “Skeever can use paper. Makes good bedding,” the first one, whose name she hadn’t caught, said.

They were talking to distract her from the way they were closing in, so Robin moved first, leaping backwards towards Bert. She was taller than him, arms and legs significantly longer. She was in range before he knew what was happening. One sharp chop to his neck, and Bert fell like a sack of potatoes.

His nameless friend let out a strangled squawk of surprise, but Robin was already attacking. It only took two strides to reach him. He reacted enough to throw a punch awkwardly. If you felt generous, you could call it a haymaker. Robin caught the clumsy swing easily, one hand gripping his wrist, the other the elbow. Then she made the arm bend the wrong way. She did it fast enough her would-be assailant couldn’t react to the pain before Robin knocked him unconscious with another chop to the neck.

“That wasn’t real bright. Pretty slick, though.” Robin spun to find a woman with light pink hair cut short and ragged, in overalls and worn leather boots.

“I’m rather attached to my notes,” Robin explained. Eyeing the newcomer’s hair, she asked, “Might you be Rosa?”

The woman took a step back and eyed her with a wary expression Robin knew all too well from the mirror. “How do you know me?”

“The person down the street mentioned “Rosa” would be more likely to know if Lehane Mary still lived on this island. I made a guess based on your hair.”

Rosa’s eyes weren’t any less wary, but her posture relaxed slightly. “Look, let’s talk as we get out of here. If these two wake up, or their friends find them, it’s better we’re somewhere else.”

* * *

They quickly seated themselves inside Rosa’s home. Smaller than the frightened person’s home, constructed almost entirely out of wood except for a few stones in the foundation. But it was sturdy, and the crops were tall enough to hide it almost entirely from view.

“Are you left alone by this Skeever because you grow food for him?”

Rosa scoffed. “The food is for everyone else. Skeever finds his own food. He just wants us to make garbage for him.”

“Garbage?”

“Loves it. Keeps it in piles. Lives in them, I think. No one ever sees him. Or don’t live long enough to tell the rest of us.”

“I heard the island was attacked. Was he the one responsible?”

Rosa snorted. “Skeever? Hell no. I don’t know who those mask and jumpsuit wearing bastards were that attacked us, but Skeever wasn’t one of them. Just someone who lived here before all that. Barely memorable. After everything was burned down, he seemed to thrive in the mess, and kept us from putting things back together.”

“No one tried to stop him?”

“Sure. I remember a few from at the start. But most of the strongest people, the soldiers, already died defending the island. And, Skeever’s a monster now. The ones who tried, never returned.”

Robin suspected a Devil Fruit. Had this Skeever always had it, or stumbled across it in the chaos and seized the opportunity? “Do you recall Skeever ever swimming before the attack?”

Rosa looked bewildered. “Swimming? Why? You think he found himself a Sea King as a bride and brought it on shore to do his bidding?”

“No, merely a hypothesis.” Robin didn’t want to mention the weakness. The fewer people who knew, the fewer who could use it against her if they figured out her identity.

“Uh-huh. Well, maybe. Probably. The ocean isn’t that far off, but I can’t recall for sure one way or the other.”

Robin would like to know for certain, but she could probably handle it regardless. “The men in the odd outfits?”

“Once enough people failed against Skeever, most of the survivors decided to join him. Let’s them think they have power. Guess they do, over the rest of us. They say those get-ups, with the bones on the outside, are their way of being like their leader.”

Robin tried to piece that in, but couldn’t make it fit yet. Was his power to be a living skeleton? How bizarre. And to her advantage, since she was quite good at breaking bones. “Do you know anything about Lehane Mary?”

“Why are you so interested in her?”

“I wanted to ask her about a book she wrote many years ago.”

“A book? Lady, you got the weirdest priorities I’ve ever seen.”

Robin smiled cryptically. “Perhaps, but that is my cross to bear. Do you know where she might be?”

Rosa eyed her, searching from some clue that would explain all this. Finding none, she rose from her chair and walked to the door. Opening it, she gestured towards the largest remaining building in the town. Its outline rose well above the ruins, but the late afternoon sun revealed extensive damage to the exterior. Many holes yawned in its walls, the peak of the bell tower missing entirely.

“That was a university back in the day. She had an office there, but from what I remember, she lived in it most of the time.”

“Let me guess: Skeever chose it as his throne.”

“Nah, too much light in that place during the day. He lives in the mess at the base.”

Maybe Robin could simply avoid him, search for what she wanted, then leave quietly. None of this was her problem. _‘Or maybe not,’_ she thought as the sound of many footsteps approaching reached her ears.

“You have visitors,” Robin rose from her chair calmly.

“Ah shit, I was hoping none of them saw me bring you here!”

Robin looked at her out of the corner of her eyes and sighed. “Just follow my lead.” She opened the door, looking back at Rosa as she did and saying loudly, “I appreciate your offer of hospitality, but I really must be going.” Then she turned to survey the new arrivals.

There were seven, men and women both, various sizes. Each of them wore the same garb as the two she beat earlier, although each had their own assortment of bones attached to their clothing, One appeared to be wearing the entire ribcage of a much larger person around their scrawny torso. Robin took a few slow steps into the yard, eyes never leaving them.

“You were delaying me until they could arrive,” she said to Rosa. “How very devious of you.”

To her credit, Rosa understood the opportunity being given, and turned to the seven. “Here she is, the one who beat up your brethren! I, I made sure she didn’t leave so you could deal with her!” Rosa wasn’t bad at feigning panic, Robin thought. Maybe she didn’t have to fake it.

“I think you need to come with us, miss,” the one wearing the ribcage said. Robin wondered if what pieces of skeleton the person wore conveyed a particular status. Or if this one was more dangerous than he looked.

Robin opted to play along, and put a bit of nervous hesitance into her steps. He turned and led the way, the rest falling in on either side of her as they marched in the direction of the university and the trash heap kingdom at its feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Gespenst" is German for specter, or spook. "Raserei" is German for rage. So, "Spectral rage" or "angry ghost". Or perhaps, "spirit of vengeance".
> 
> Note to self: Write story where Robin becomes Ghost Rider.
> 
> I do think Robin keeps on during those years alone at least partially out of spite. Refusing to give the World Government, the Marines, or the world in general what they want (her dead, the past buried.)
> 
> The only thing I know about Cozia is it got attacked by Germa 66, and I can't picture an East Blue Kingdom doing too well against those assholes.


	5. The Roach Motel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin meets the self-proclaimed ruler of what's left of Cozia.
> 
> She's not impressed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got it posted on time, I swear! Brilliant planning on my part, to schedule chapters 3 and 5 on days I spent 12 hours driving. Really fantastic work there, Calvin.

Robin and her seven escorts walked for roughly fifteen minutes before the empty street they followed ended at an open area. There were a few homes, distinctly ramshackle affairs, maybe one step above a tent. They were scattered haphazardly through what had probably been a common area for the university, or perhaps the town square. As they marched through, Robin observed several other people in the black cloth and bones outfits emerging to watch her pass. Not too many, perhaps a dozen.

The ones escorting her hadn’t spoken since they began this trip, and Robin didn’t bother trying to engage them in conversation. At times, she wasn’t certain they were even paying attention to her, as their eyes seemed focus on a point in the distance. As they crossed through the settlement, Robin at last saw their destination.

It wasn’t the large hall with the damaged tower Robin saw at a distance, which stood at the far end of the common. It was the enormous garbage heap that sat in front of the hall. Old planks, doors, bricks, stones, paper, straw, all of it collected into a single mountain of refuse. Dirt or clay had been used to join things into a loose framework, allowing for openings in the pile.

Oddly, Robin didn’t see any food or waste in the pile. She considered that a blessing as it probably kept the smell down. The aroma of rotting wood and paper was unpleasant enough. There was an undercurrent of something else, a sickly sweet scent Robin couldn’t place drifting up from the depths of the pile.

They halted at the base, and the one wearing a ribcage called out. “Lord, I brought the one who attacked our people. Will you see her?”

A low chittering echoed from within the pile, then silence. The one who spoke bowed, then quickly backed away, eyes to the ground. The other six did likewise. Robin waited patiently. Three people crawled from the holes in the pile, two women and one man. Each of them wore an entire human skeleton, with the skulls perched on top of their own. None of them spoke, waiting, until a single shadow fell over them. 

Looking up, Robin saw someone standing at the very top of the heap. Male most likely, shorter than Robin, of ordinary build. He held his arms tight against his body, and stood slightly bowlegged.

“Why did you strike my followers?” His voice had a peculiar hollowness to it. Robin wondered if the man had been a soldier injured in the attack on this kingdom. The lengthening shadows hid his features, so she couldn’t tell if he had suffered damage to his jaw or throat.

“They wanted the things I have in my bag, and I could not allow that.”

“What is so important?”

“All my research on something I seek.”

His laugh was as hollow as his voice. “And you think what you want is here?”

“I hoped that a woman named Lehane Mary had research that might point me to it. If she was alive, I wish to speak with her. If not, I would like the opportunity to read any of her notes that might have survived.”

That laugh again. “Lehane died long ago.”

“In the attack on this island.”

He lifted his shoulders up above his ears. “Probably. She was not there to object when I took her writings.”

“Why did you want it? Were you interested in her work?”

Laughter, like two sticks being tapped against each other rapidly. “No. I needed it to build this.” He gestured to the pile he stood on. “It is my place, the paper makes a soft bed to lie on.”

“So her work is lost. Then I have no need to stay. I’ll leave you to your kingdom.” Robin turned to depart, but found what she imagined was the entire community blocking her path. She glanced over her shoulder to the leader.

“No,” he said with more force than he’d spoken so far. “What you have, we will take. We will use it to build. Or we will use _you_ to build.”

The three that had come out of the mound earlier rushed forward as one. Robin cast a quick glance behind her, and saw the rest were not getting involved, not yet anyway. So she ignored them, opting to keep her Devil Fruit in reserve. The trio charged forward recklessly. Whether that was because they weren’t used to anyone fighting back, or thought the bones served as adequate armor, Robin didn’t know or care. Her fighting style targeted joints and surprise! those weren’t protected by the remains of the dead they wore.

One of the women reached her first, leading with a full stabbing lunge. Robin parried smoothly with her left hand and threw her right elbow into the woman’s throat. Her strength combined with the woman’s own momentum crushed her attacker’s trachea. She fell to the ground, clutching futilely at her windpipe.

The man’s eyes bulged in anger as he threw a haymaker with a very large fist. If it had made contact, it might truly have hurt. Robin simply grabbed her first attacker’s knife, rolled to her left and slashed through the back of both of his knees as he charged past. He fell with an agonized scream. 

The other woman had been coming from Robin’s right, meaning the man was between them now. She hesitated, seeing the others fall so easily. Not wanting to waste time, Robin hurled the knife with a deceptively smooth motion. She hardly seemed to exert herself, but it slid neatly between ribs into the woman’s chest.

She looked down, as though the knife was a mirage and would vanish if she just kept staring at it. She dropped to her knees, still staring, as this raven-haired demon rose to her feet and silenced the screaming man with a single chop to the neck. Still staring, as the woman walked towards her, blue eyes locked onto hers, promising nothing kind. Robin casually pulled the knife out, then wiped the blade on the woman’s clothes and turned back to the leader.

“I don’t advise continuing this. I am already inclined to destroy all you have here, Lord Skeever.” A gasp ran through the crowd, and they retreated even further. Skeever went completely still, but even with his face in shadow, Robin could feel his eyes boring hatefully into hers.

 _“Don’t call me that,”_ he hissed. The hollowness had faded, and he hunched over even further. His arms fell out from his sides, four of them in total. He moved towards her on all six limbs, navigating the uneven, loose terrain like it was a perfectly flat street. He began to grow, eyes expanding, head flattening out and widening. His skin took on a metallic sheen, and his hair coalesced into two antennae.

“Ah, you ate the Goki-Goki no Mi,” Robin said. “A cockroach man.”

“DON’T CALL ME THAT!!!” he shrieked, voice reaching a pitch that hurt Robin’s ears as he charged.

Robin rolled to her left again, and tried to slice one of the legs skittering by with the knife. The blade shattered against the exoskeletal plates. 

“Yehehehe, that won’t work against me. My plates can withstand a cannonball!” Skeever boasted as he turned to charge her again.

“Oh, is that how you survived the attack on this island?” Robin asked, unfazed. “Or perhaps you hid deep in some dank burrow until it was over.” Skeever’s response was another screech and another charge. He crashed through one of his followers’ homes, scattering it across the field, but suffered no harm.

“You won’t be so clever when you’re dead like the others!” he screamed, emerging from the wreckage, only to see the woman running into the main hall. 

A cheer rose up from his followers. “Kill her my Lord! No one can defeat you! Kill her!”

* * *

He followed her through the entrance, doors long since removed and added to his home. He paused in the dusty entry, antennae waving gently from side to side. He felt the vibrations of her steps against the marble floor as she ran for the rear of the hall, towards the tower. The doorway was narrow, so he tipped on one side by crawling along the wall and squeezed through.

Turning his entire body, he spied the interloper climbing the narrow stairs as they spiraled up the walls of the tower.

“Do you think I can’t follow you!?”

Robin ignored his taunts, just as she ignored the crowd outside. It wasn’t as though it was the first time a crazed mob howled for her death. Instead, she focused on reaching the top. She’d noticed the bell still hung there, precariously supported by a combination of damaged timbers and weakened ropes.

Robin nimbly scaled the last flight of steps, avoiding steps rotted from moisture and decay, squeezing past the bell. From there, she leapt for one of the beams, perching on it carefully. Skeever continued to scuttle up the wall, moving over and around the stairs in his path without difficulty.

“Where do you intend to go now?”

Robin didn’t respond. Instead, as the cockroach climbed over the final stairs into view, she leapt into the air, and stomped on the bell’s crown with all of her strength. The ropes and beams, weakened from years of exposure to the elements, gave way with a muted snap. The bell did what gravity had been coaxing it to for years, tumbled over, and plummeted to the earth. Nothing would stop it from reaching its destination.

Certainly not a giant bug.

Robin sprouted one arm from the wall to catch herself as the bell fell from beneath her. She formed two more to cover her ears from the deafening gong that erupted from the base of the tower as the bell hit the ground and broke. The entire tower shook under the impact, the stairs collapsing under the force. Robin shifted to one of the open arches, and lowered herself to the ground swiftly and smoothly along the rear of the tower, out of sight of the others.

She paused to dust herself off, debating her next move, when that rapid, clattering laugh skittered out of the chaos. Skeever emerged, covered in dust and plaster. Some of his skin plates were dented, but he looked unharmed otherwise.

“Yehehehehe. Didn’t I tell you my hide was tough? You can’t squash me!”

For all his boasting, the roach man was hesitant to approach. Robin pondered her next move, what she knew about bugs. Squashing failed. Cutting failed. Insect ligaments were typically stronger than humans, tearing them might not work, not if she wanted to stay anonymous. The ocean was some distance away. Poison? Difficult to find. There was something else she remembered reading, though. Quietly, she bloomed eyes through all the buildings, until she found what she needed.

She turned and fled. Skeever stared in shock, then scuttled after her.

* * *

Skeever pursued the interloper into another building. He crawled steadily down the darkened halls, legs making little tracks in the dust and scattering leaves that had blown inside over the years. The sculptures and paintings that lined the walls meant nothing to him. Canvas didn’t make a good material for his home.

A scuffling noise came from a classroom on his right. His antennae jerked in that direction, picking up telltale signs of disturbance in the air. He squeezed his way inside, found the woman waiting at the far end of the classroom. She sat on a small platform surrounded by easels. One long leg crossed over the other, kicking back and forth gently, for all the world the air of someone waiting patiently for a tardy friend.

As Skeever tried to process this – because it was surely another trap, but what kind? – paint rained down on him from above, covering his back entirely. He raised up on his rear legs, scanning the ceiling for her accomplices, but saw no one. Just a few flower petals. While his underbelly was exposed, more paint was hurled, coating him from head to toe on that side as well.

Robin winced at the high-pitched screech he emitted as he scrubbed wildly at his eyes, but otherwise rose quietly and made her way to the other set of doors leading out of the room. She saw his antennae waving in her direction, vibrating furiously to dislodge the paint. He burst through the door after her like a freight train moments later. 

Robin retreated back outdoors, Skeever on her heels. He charged blindly, antennae giving a general sense of her location, but nothing more. It was easy for Robin to dodge the uncoordinated attacks. The longer it went on, the more Skeever slowed, the more his movements became sluggish and weak. Finally, he halted, legs wobbling before giving way entirely. As he lay on the ground, he shifted back to his hybrid form, exoskeleton and additional limbs receding and shrinking. 

He struggled to take a long, raspy breath. It set off a coughing fit that didn’t end until a disgusting multicolored blob lay on the grass. Robin walked towards him as he lifted his head with difficulty.

“Wha- what did you do?” he wheezed, hacked up another glob. Her hands rested gently on his cheeks, noting that the paint was beginning to dry on his skin.

“Insects breathe through holes in their exoskeletons. I plugged all of yours.” With that, Robin broke his now less-protected neck. 

* * *

Skeever’s followers quailed in terror when Robin returned, dragging their “lord” behind her like a sack of garbage. She tossed his limp corpse on the trash pile he’d been so proud of, then focused on them. She showed no signs of injury, or even fatigue. Her eyes were bottomless depths to them, void of emotion.

The followers tried to withdraw. Backing up via slow, hesitant steps at first. Robin didn’t move, or even appear to notice. Their nerves failed, and they turned to flee. Where? They didn’t know, or care. Only to get away from this familiar sense of helplessness. 

“Stand there and listen.” Her voice froze them in their tracks, overrode their survival instincts. They turned back to her, cringing, their heads lowered. Awaiting her verdict. 

“Remove those bones from your clothes. All of them. Bury them properly, where you found them, _as you found them_. Or you will join them.” 

Her voice carried over them like the low rumble of a volcano, or the growl of a wild animal. That one warning of impending death you are sometimes lucky enough to receive. Robin let her gaze linger on them, long enough to see the sheer terror in their eyes, so that she knew they would obey. Then she turned back towards the university.

* * *

It was a dead end. She found Lehane Mary’s office, but none of her research. Assuming Lehane had time to even begin any further work before disaster struck Cozia, it must have been added to Skeever’s ridiculous nest. Along with seemingly every other book or paper the building once contained. Robin couldn’t find a thing in any office or classroom.

She released a weary sigh as she stepped outside, a small light she carried revealing the path. If this was a legend, or one of the stories she read as a child, the clouds overhead would clear once the heroine defeated the monster. The clouds had not gotten the message, as the sky remained overcast the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. 

(Or perhaps the clouds knew she was no heroine.) 

No stars or moon shone. The trash pile just a dark outline, her light unable to reveal any details. She looked at it looming above her for a moment, then dismissed the idea of digging through it on the chance she would find something of use.

Continuing on, she found Skeever’s followers digging in the earth or constructing boxes and markers in the light of a few lanterns. All the bones were removed from their clothes and organized into human shapes, or as close as could be managed. A few of the followers were catching their breath, but looked up at the approaching light. When Robin moved close enough for them to see who it was, their expressions paled and they immediately began working again.

“You really put the fear into them,” Rosa commented. She and what appeared to be the remainder of the holdouts against Skeever stood off to one side observing the work.

“It wasn’t terribly difficult. They’re cowards, clinging to anyone they believe will protect them.”

“Yeah.” Whatever Rosa expected Robin to say, it clearly wasn’t that. They stood in awkward silence for a few moments, and when it appeared Rosa had nothing else, Robin continued walking.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

“What I was hoping to find isn’t here. There’s no reason to stay.”

“You’re going to set out now? At night?”

“I have a map, and a good sense of direction.”

“At least let us make you dinner. We need to thank you for helping us.”

Robin turned to look at Rosa and the others. Desperation sat heavily in their eyes, several of them shifting from one foot to the other nervously. It made her wary. “You want something else from me.”

Rosa nodded slowly. “Yes. We could really use some supplies to get the rebuild going. Tools and food, medicine. But we don’t have any ships left.”

“You won’t be able to carry that much on mine.”

“No, but if you’ll take me to an island nearby, I can figure out the rest. Please.”

Robin hesitated, but even though she could find her way at night, that didn’t mean it was necessarily wise. . . “Is there someone left among them,” she gestured to the people in black clothing burying the dead they had desecrated, “who might qualify as a leader?”

Rosa blinked, surprised at the shift in conversation. “Um, Tuck, probably. I think you killed everyone higher up than him.”

Robin called out, “Tuck!” A short, wiry man rushed up quickly, cringing. Robin recognized him as the one wearing the ribcage earlier.

“Yes? We’re working quickly, I swear!”

Robin smiled coldly. Perhaps she shouldn’t enjoy the way he flinched, but Robin never claimed to be a saint. “I can see that. See it continues. Tomorrow, you will be accompanying Rosa and I on a trip to Caramello Island to arrange for supplies. Make certain those others know to behave while we are away. Now go.” He scurried back to the others.

“Why are you bringing him?” A hefty middle-aged man asked. It was nice to see someone else on this island was capable of speech.

“If he’s their leader, removing him will hopefully prevent the others from getting any ideas. Remember, I won’t be here to keep them in line, so it will be up to all of you.” 

“I don’t suppose you’d just let me borro-“ Rosa began, but Robin cut her off.

“No.”

* * *

Dinner was fine, given the circumstances. Robin was surprised she had an appetite after fighting a giant bug that emerged from a giant garbage pile, but it had been a long day. The former cultists worked through the night and made real progress in preparing the remains to be re-interred. 

Robin, Rosa, and Tuck set out early the next morning. Neither of the other two knew anything about seamanship. Tuck was too tired to do much anyway, which suited Robin. She preferred he do nothing, simply stay where she could keep an eye on him.

Conversation was minimal. Tuck understood being silent and helpful was his best chance of survival. Robin and Rosa chatted fitfully.

“So, is the town on Caramello Island a big place?”

“Not really. I imagine Cozia was much larger before the attack.”

“Oh.”

“But it is the closest option, and there are a few towns on the island. That might give you more options.”

Later:

“So where are you going after you drop Tuck and I off?”

“I don’t know yet. I had another trail I was pursuing before this. I’ll pick it up again, I suppose.” There were still some shipping companies left to check. If that failed to produce results, she would have to risk Marine bases. She wasn’t telling Rosa that. Just in case.

After three days, the island came into view. As they watched it grow closer, Rosa commented. “You never told us your name.”

Robin kept her eyes on their course. “No, I suppose I didn’t.”

Rosa watched, clearly expecting Robin to properly introduce herself. When she didn’t, the pink-haired woman scratched her cheek nervously. “Right. Well, anyway, you helped us out big time, so if you wanted us to keep it secret, we would.”

Robin turned to Tuck. She wasn’t trying to be intimidating (much), but he still cringed and shook his head rapidly side-to-side. “I wouldn’t tell anyone!”

Robin didn’t really want her alias getting out, but it was still an alias. She could always devise another. And they could learn it from Mr. Martinet or anyone he had told it to. “Raserei.”

“We won’t say a word. Promise.” Rosa looked so serious, Robin truly hoped she could believe her.

* * *

Robin guided _Pipit_ back to Mr. Martinet’s dock. The old man sat at the dock with a fishing line out, although he seemed more interested in sleeping than catching dinner. His eyes opened as he heard a ship draw near. They drifted closed again, only to snap wide open a moment later.

“You-You returned!”

Robin chuckled. “Indeed. I’ve even brought you potential customers. These people will need ships to carry supplies back home.”

“First we need to talk to someone about buying some things in bulk. Food, clothing, tools, medicine. . ."

“Of course, of course,” Martinet said quickly, helping Rosa and Tuck step onto the dock. “But why not take a look at the ships I have to rent? Start gettin’ an idea of what there is available?”

Rosa looked at Robin, who shrugged indifferently, then Tuck, who did likewise. “I guess it would be a good idea.”

The two ambled off, and Martinet turned back to Robin. “You even brought my ship back.”

“I believe it is my ship, is it not? You demanded I purchase _Pipit_.”

“Huh. You’re right, I did. Interested in selling it back?”

“No, I quite like it. You were right; it’s a fine ship.”

“’Course it is! I made her maself!” He noticed Robin was casting off. “Aren’t you waitin’ for your friends?”

She shook her head. “I merely agreed to bring them here. To get back, they’ll be reliant on your honesty and goodwill.” She recalled something amusing and called out, “Is the poor swordsman still around?”

“Ha. No, that idiot finally found his way out of town the same day you left. Haven’t seen him since. Good riddance. Wouldn’t rent that kid a boat. He’d probably find Gol D. Roger’s treasure. Or the Gates of Hell!”

Robin just laughed. “Farewell, Mr. Shipwright.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if I shouldn't have just had the bell kill him. Originally she was going to form one of her giant hands and crush him in front of all his followers. That would kind of defeat the purpose of maintaining a low profile, unless I had her kill everyone. 
> 
> But I was reading up on insect exoskeletons for this chapter, and I read about how roaches can shift the plates to flatten themselves out and avoid being crushed. Then I read the bit about respiring through the holes in the exoskeleton and here we are. I figure Robin knows a million bits of random trivia because she'll read anything. 
> 
> Either way, I wanted to let Robin show off being awesome without leaning heavily on her Devil Fruit.
> 
> Google Translate says Goki is Japanese for "cockroach". It also said Gokiburi meant cockroach, but the shorter version rolls off the tongue easier.


	6. Late to the Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin arrives in a celebrating town just in time to encounter three bounty hunters.

Months later. . .

Zoro stood at the edge of town, eyes roving impatiently. All around him, people were drinking, singing, and dancing. The swordsman himself carried a bottle of alcohol in one hand, but it was largely forgotten in his annoyance.

“Where are those two?” he muttered angrily. Those other bounty hunters, Jonah and Yo-Yo, he thought their names were, said to meet them at the south end of town. Well, Zoro was here, and they weren’t.

He hoped this wasn’t how this partnership was going to be. It wasn’t like he really wanted a partner, let alone two. (He wasn’t lonely. Who cared if he hadn’t had a friend since Kuina? He had their promise, and his dream. Everything else was just in the way.) He didn’t think these two were very strong. That Dick guy beat them easily, but fell to just one of Zoro’s attacks.

Still, he reflected, taking a long draw from the bottle he’d finally remembered he held, they hadn’t given up. Took the beating and kept getting up. He respected that. Maybe he could help them get stronger. If he did, they might make decent sparring partners, if they worked together. Then they could help him.

Zoro knew he could still get stronger, now that he understood how to use his strength without breaking his swords. He hadn’t maintained focus, left himself unprepared for that guy’s bazooka. Sure, he could have survived a shot from it if the kid hadn’t doused the flintlock with water. (Definitely. Probably.) But he shouldn’t have let it reach that point. He needed to be better prepared to switch targets. He might fight by a code of honor, but most of these bounties didn’t, and he wouldn't use their underhanded tactics as an excuse if he lost.

But he wasn’t going to get anywhere if those two didn’t get here already! So Zoro stood there, arms crossed, leg jiggling with nervous energy. That urge to get moving, to seek another challenge building again. He considered drawing his swords to practice his forms, but it was a bad idea with a town full of drunk people milling around.

A vaguely familiar voice called to him, low musical tone drawing his attention. “Mr. Swordsman?” He looked up to see a tall woman with dark hair and blue eyes, a dusty cloak draped over her shoulders as she approached.

“Oh, it’s you. Miss Archeologist. Sorry, Raserei. Haven’t seen you in a few years.” He thought she’d changed her hair, cutting it almost as short as his, although her hair hung down loosely around her ears, rather than sticking out in spiky disarray like his.

One corner of her mouth curled up in amusement. “It was only eight months ago we saw each other in Nougat Village.”

Zoro shrugged and turned away, muttering, “Seemed longer.”

* * *

Robin anchored _Pipit_ in a quiet harbor upon reaching the island. It looked like a reputable location, although the docking fee wasn’t exactly cheap. But there was security, so hopefully her ship and possessions would be undisturbed. She’d grown fond of her traveling base over the months since she bought it. Quiet, sturdy and reliable. Easy to maneuver and hide in small coves. She had actually begun to feel safe while she was at the helm. 

She still took any important notes with her, just in case. 

Her investigations of commercial shipping companies still hadn’t pointed to any sign of the mysterious Marine activity, so she took a break to pursue a lead on some ruins located inland. The hike was pleasant enough, and she arrived in the only small town on the way to find a celebration in full swing.

Strange, she hadn’t heard of any seasonal festivals in this region. Perhaps a traveling circus? If so, she hoped it wasn’t Buggy the Clown. She wasn’t interested in encountering or joining any of the few halfway decent pirate crews in the East Blue.

At the edge of town, she spied a familiar face, right down to the brow furrowed in a scowl. The bounty hunter. She considered the possibility he learned who she was, and was waiting for her, but it seemed unlikely. Setting aside how he could have managed it, if he was after her, why stand in the open? An ambush would be more sensible. He didn’t even seem to notice her, lost in his own thoughts. (Recalling his sense of direction, Robin suspected that happened often.)

He remembered her, even if his concept of the passage of time was questionable. “I hadn’t realized I made such an impression, that you would miss me so much.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

“Oh really?” She arched an eyebrow, a little curious at his strong reaction. “And yet, you remembered my name, even thinking we haven’t seen each other in years.”

He shrugged. “You asked me to.” His voice grew softer, gaze at the ground, but Robin suspected he saw something (or someone) different. “You were right, a person shouldn’t die forgotten.”

“That’s very considerate of you, Mister Roronoa.”

Other than a silent nod, the swordsman didn’t respond. The conversation seemed to die there, so Robin asked what he was doing. Zoro explained he was waiting for two new partners who said to meet them at the south end of town.

“This is the east side, swordsman.”

“What? No it isn’t. South is down, and this is the most “down” part of the town. It’s at the bottom of the mountain.”

Robin took a moment to process that logic. “Humor me, Mr. Swordsman. Let us check where I suspect the south side of town is, and see if we find your friends.”

So here they were, walking through town together quietly. Around them people continued to celebrate. “Everyone is quite happy. What is the occasion?”

“Some bandits that bothered them were beaten,” he grunted.

“I imagine you had something to do with that?” The green-haired man shrugged.

“How did your trip go? You obviously didn’t die. Find anything interesting on Cozia?”

“No, only a very large bug.” Zoro turned to her, a gleam of interest in his eyes.

“Really? Was it strong?” 

“No, not really. Quite pitiful and disgusting, actually. I was forced to squash it.”

“Are you allowed to do that? It’s part of the history of the island, right?”

“I’m more interested in human history. Besides, I study dead things, so it would make more sense to kill it, then catalogue it, wouldn’t it?” Zoro supposed that made sense to him.

Their progress was interrupted by a child approaching. “Mr. Pirate Hunter, there you are! Your friends are looking for you!”

“I was where I was supposed to be. They’re the ones who got lost.”

“Oh. Well, they’re this way.” The boy took hold of the bounty hunter’s hand and tugged him along. Robin followed, amused.

“Thank you again for helping us, Mr. Pirate Hunter,” the boy chattered happily.

“I told you, I don’t like that name. Zoro is fine.” The boy came to an abrupt stop when Zoro halted, so the child turned back. The bounty hunter’s expression was serious. “You should focus on getting stronger. That way in the future you’ll be able to finish fights you start. You can’t rely on others to do it for you.”

The boy’s smile vanished, until the swordsman laid his hand solidly on the boy’s head and ruffled his hair. “But you did fight, even though you were weak. If you work hard, you’ll get stronger.”

The child beamed. “I will! I’ll get stronger, and I’ll beat up bad guys just like you do!”

The odd procession continued, child again leading Zoro with Robin in the rear. She observed the man ahead of her with a calculating gaze. In the months since Cozia, she heard about the “Pirate Hunter” cutting a swath through the bounties in the East Blue. But they were always vague rumors, a step below fairy tales. 

_A fierce gaze_ , they whispered. It could freeze your blood.

 _Ruthless_ , they mumbled. Shattering his own swords in his eagerness to sever bounties’ limbs.

 _A monster_ , they said.

It was hard to square the stories with the quiet, grumpy, apparently directionless man who looked embarrassed at the adoration of a small child.

Eventually, they reached two men. One whose wavy blond hair hung down to his shoulders and framed his face. The other in a sleeveless trench coat and a deep burgundy mohawk. They were seated on a box, bottles in hand. Both looked very intoxicated.

“Brother Zoro, Brother Zoro!” the two called out in matching singsong voices.

Zoro sighed as he stopped before them. “Where have you two been?”

“We were waiting for you at the south entrance, but you didn’t show!” the one with the mohawk explained, “so we had some drinks while we waited!”

“I was at the south entrance, just over there!” Zoro pointed to his left.

“Actually, Mister Roronoa, that is north. You were that way,” she pointed behind them, “which is east.”

The mohawked man rose and stumbled towards her. She took one cautious step back, in case this was a trick. He squinted as he tried to scrutinize her face. “Who is this, Brother Zoro? You didn’t tell us you had a girlfriend!”

“She’s not my-“ Zoro began, but the man ignored him.

“I’m Johnny!” he said, managing to straighten up and thump his chest with his fist, though the latter action almost knocked him over.

“And I’m Yosaku!” his friend added, suddenly next to him, mirroring his pose.

“We are expert bounty hunters, like Brother Zoro! We also fought against Dick in defense of this town!”

“But you two lost. Bad.” The boy pointed out.

Immediately, their shoulders slumped and a dark cloud surrounded them. Only for a moment, before Johnny’s head rose and he shouted, “Yes, but only by a hair! And traveling with Brother Zoro, we are sure to get stronger, and then we won’t lose at all!”

“Plus, it will keep Brother Zoro from getting lost,” Yosaku added.

“Whatever! The streets in this town move!”

“It’s OK, Brother Zoro,” the blonde reassured him. “We’ll just set out tomorrow morning. That way, we can continue to enjoy the party!” The pair began to dance a merry jig. Or tried, anyway. Their movements were quite uncoordinated, and they quickly tripped over each other’s feet.

Zoro folded his arms across his chest. “Nope. We’re going now. Up.”

The two looked at each other uncertainly. “We are pretty drunk, Brother Zoro-” Yosaku began.

“No, only drunk by a hair!” Johnny yelled, then laughed.

“That’s fine,” their new partner said. “You’ll sober up fast, since we’re going to run to the next town.”

“WHAT?!”

“If you want to get stronger, you can’t let a little drinking slow you down. Now up.”

The two rose slowly. Their expressions suggested only now did they understand what they were getting themselves into with this alliance. Zoro, for his part, looked satisfied.

“OK, which way is south?” The two hunters pointed. “Let’s go.” He began to run, Johnny and Yosaku staggering as they tried to keep up, but he turned to call to Robin. “Good luck with your search, Ms. Gespenst.”

She raised a hand in farewell. “And you with your new partners, Mr. Roronoa.”

_“I’m not sure which of you will be worse off for it,”_ she mused as she resumed her course to the north, deeper into the mountains. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Johnny and Yosaku have joined the party! And immediately passed out! Oh well.


	7. Clowns to the Left of Me. . .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even a woman on the run from the entire world deserves a night of fun. What could be more entertaining, and trouble-free, than a traveling circus?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've known I needed to heavily revise this chapter since mid-June, so naturally I waited until the day it's supposed to be posted. Brilliant.
> 
> I'll mention Buggy's more than a little OOC here, since I'm drawing a fair amount from stereden's "Watashitachi wa Roger kaizoku desu". That version of Buggy just works better for some things I have planned later, and flashy, showboaty antagonists are my favorite.

_‘This is inconvenient,’_ Robin mused from her hiding place in the office, as the circus performers outside in the darkened hallway drew swords.

* * *

Robin shifted her search to an archipelago known as the Geode Islands. It was both an area rich in mineral resources, and based on her research, one of the areas with the oldest evidence of human habitation in the East Blue. An ideal place to pursue any sign of the Ancients and any unexplained shipments to the Marines.

But again and again, she came up craps, her current stop being the community of Tin Town. Robin didn’t like it, but if nothing changed soon, she would have to turn her attention to the known Marine bases to search for information. Not an impossible task; Robin had a number of methods available to her. But she made it a point to avoid contact with Marines as much as possible.

The trip was not a total waste. Beyond the town, lost and forgotten among trees that grew up and through them for the last 200 years, were the remains of earlier settlements. They looked agrarian, so from a point before the inhabitants grasped the wealth of what lay buried in the mountain. Or, going by the pieces of jewelry she found mostly buried, those gems and metals were treated as a rare treasure. The houses had decayed to almost nothing, but she could still see where roads had been, some scattered tools, and the foundation of a large building, possibly a meeting house. 

Robin spent the afternoon wandering the ruins, inspecting, taking notes and making sketches. Even if it didn’t bring her any closer to her true goal, she enjoyed the work nonetheless. It was soothing, letting her mind forget its troubles. Focus on piecing together the past lives of others, rather than worrying about her own.

By the time she returned to town, she was ready to find a hotel, and maybe a light dinner in a halfway decent restaurant. Her usual. Nothing too pricey, she noted her funds were running low again. She might need to look for a card game.

However, when she found a traveling circus had arrived in town, she decided to treat herself. Try to enjoy herself watching people entertain. It seemed the entire town had the same idea, judging by the crowds.

The performs put on an impressive show. Tumblers and acrobats roamed among the crowd and the different tents, putting on quick demonstrations for the townspeople. They even involved a giant lion and what appeared to be his trainer. The lion darting here and there, performing flips and tumbles, moving in a dance with his oddly dressed partner.

There was a brief moment of unease when one of the clowns, a man with long blue hair and a big red nose, started yelling.

“WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT MY NOSE?!”

The subject of the tirade, a middle-aged father with his two children, shrank back. “Uh, it’s funny?”

“WHAT’S FUNNY ABOUT MY NOSE?! IT'S A PERFECTLY NORMAL NOSE!”

The man’s daughter replied cheerfully. “It’s big and red! It looks like a tomato!”

The clown looked prepared to explode until the lion dropped one massive paw on his head. The clown compressed to half his previous height, flailing his arms dramatically, then sprang back to normal once the feline released the pressure. The performer seemed much calmer by then.

“Ha, you’re right, it does! It’s not ripe yet, though, so don’t try to pick it!”

The crowds loved all of it, cheering and applauding, whistling and pleading for more. Finally, as dusk settled in, a man on a unicycle with a scarf over the lower half of his face rolled through the crowd, encouraging everyone to gather for the main event.

Seeing both children and adults eagerly pour into the largest tent, Robin figured this was the time to snoop through the mine’s confidential files. There was always a chance they uncovered something ancient during their digging. 

Besides, she suspected the audience wouldn’t enjoy this part of the show as much as they thought.

* * *

Unfortunately for Robin, she wasn’t the only person taking advantage of the distraction the circus provided. Scanning the interior of the main office building, Robin found six other people moving quietly through the halls, in two teams of three. One trio seemed to be heading in the direction of where the payroll would be stored, the other was heading for the company president’s office.

Robin could just leave them to it. The money was of no interest to her, she needed to search their file room. Maybe their chief engineer’s office. But, if anything unusual had been found, say a massive stone block with strange writing on it, any records or reports on it would probably be in the hands of the person at the top.

Robin located a second set of stairs at the rear of the building and moved swiftly but silently to the top floor. Her powers easily opened the office’s locked door from the inside, and Robin shut the door firmly behind her.

A quick search of the office produced nothing but a lot of standard status reports. Amount of ore mined in a month. Estimated profits for the month. Days lost to injury. Equipment needing replacement or maintenance. Nothing about any unusual finds. 

She stepped back from the desk and let her eyes drift over the room. Against the back wall sat a small liquor cabinet, well stocked. Except for the bottom shelf, which held a single bottle. Moving closer, she noticed a sliver of darkness at one edge of the back of the shelf. Sliding it aside, she found a small safe. It took no time to open. She skimmed the papers inside quickly, but again found little. Letters to the man’s wife and children (although Robin studied those intently, on the chance they were written in some sort of code.)

She closed the safe and slid the shelf concealing it back in place. As she turned to leave, she heard the trio of pirates coming down the hall. She pressed against the wall next to the door and waited silently. The knob jiggled, then she could hear the faint scraping of metal on metal.

“Would you hurry up?” one of them whisper-hissed.

“You want me to hurry?”

“Yes.”

The response came in the form of a sharp kick, which broke the knob and sent the door flying open. Robin raised her hands to catch it before it could smash her in the face. Peering from around the door, she watched as two men strode into the room, pausing in the center. She waited for the third, intending to slip out behind them.

Unfortunately, the third member of the crew pulled the door shut when he entered, right as one wearing a dark vest and sash turned her direction. On his vest was the emblem of the Buggy Pirates.

He gawked. “What the shit?”

The other two – one in a goofy orange cap and striped shirt, the other wearing a black sock cap and with cheeks so sunken he could have been mistaken for a corpse – turned to see what the problem was. They stared too.

Robin put on her best frightened damsel act, shrinking back as though trying to sink into the wall. “Please don’t hurt me!”

The one in the sock cap raised both hands – which was less reassuring than he possibly intended, since he was holding a saber. “Easy miss, we aren’t going to hurt you.”

“You almost did the way you kicked that door open,” the one with the vest pointed out.

“Well I didn’t know she was in here, did I?” Sock Cap snapped. He turned back to Robin. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m, I’m Mr. Pennington’s secretary,” she stammered. “I was just finishing some correspondence for him.”

The three pirates exchanged glances. “He made you work while everyone else gets to go to the circus? What a dick.”

“Please,” she whimpered. Their guards were down already, but there was a chance they might just let her walk out. “His safe is behind the lowest shelf of the liquor cabinet. But there’s nothing in it!”

Their eyes flicked briefly that direction, but returned to her just as fast. 

“Just take a seat over there, miss,” Sock Cap continued, “after we’re done here, we’ll take you back to the Big Top. You wouldn’t want to miss the show. They should be starting the big finale soon.”

* * *

_In the main tent. . ._

All the lights in the tent had gone dark, except the spotlight, which remained trained on the center of the ring. Beneath the spotlight stood a single man, head bowed, hidden in shadows beneath a tricorner hat, orange coat draped over him.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Big Top! We’re pleased you’ve enjoyed our flashy antics. We have one last act planned for tonight, but,” and here the speaker paused, drawing out the suspense. The crowd leaned forward eagerly.

“. . .but,” he continued, “we’ll need your help to make it happen! What do you say?!”

The crowd roared in approval, stomping their feet until the stands shook as though they would collapse. With their eyes focused on that area of light, with total darkness all around them, none of them noticed the performers making their way up the stands, taking positions at the end of each aisle.

The ringmaster brought his spiel to its conclusion. “Your support warms our hearts. So, for our final act of the night, I need all you unflashy bastards to hand over all your money and jewels! You’re being robbed by Captain Buggy and the Buggy Pirates!”

The ringmaster threw back his head, raising his face into the light as he shouted, revealing the angry clown from earlier. 

For a moment, the crowd didn’t react. They began to chuckle, then applaud. A few murmurs traveled through them.

“What a clever gag. Faking a pirate attack!”

“I don’t know, seems in poor taste to me. Harrumph, harrumph!” Who knew there was someone who would actually say “harrumph”? The night was just full of surprises.

As people continued to not react appropriately, Buggy lost his patience, body flying apart and swirling around the ring. “It’s not a gag, you imbeciles! Boys!” 

The lights went up, revealing the rest of the crew as having surrounded the audience, brandishing pistols, swords, knives, and bombs. The lion stood proudly behind Captain Buggy, partner seated on his back.

Now the reality of the situation – if such a word applied to being robbed by pirates pretending to be a circus – set in, and the crowd began to panic. Screams rose in pitch as a few people tried to rise from their seats and make a break for it. Each was clubbed to the ground. Which only increased the panic and the noise.

Captain Buggy grew visibly annoyed. “OK, just calm down.” No effect. 

“Calm down.” Still nothing.

“I SAID CALM DOWN, DAMMIT!” 

Why he expected them to remain calm after he announced he was robbing them was a mystery, but the crowd did listen to the lion’s full-throated roar that made the tent jiggle like a bowl of jello.

The Captain’s ear settled back on the side of his head. He knew enough to keep it well clear when his lion got noisy. “Thank you, Richie. As I was saying, we’ll be helping ourselves to all your flashy goods! Remember that we’re professionals. So leave all the flashy business to us, and just hand them over quietly.”

* * *

Robin turned her focus away from the single eye she’d set in the tent earlier. She had no intention of going anywhere with them. The man in the sock cap went to sheath his sword, possibly hoping to reassure her. As he reached out, she seized her chance. She lunged forward, snatching his sword, driving the pommel into the underside of his jaw. His head snapped back as the force of the blow lifted the sock cap clean off, then he fell back, stunned. Before the other two could react, she closed the gap between them.

Robin was no swordswoman, but she understood enough to know how to cut someone, the man in the vest parried her swing clumsily, falling on his butt as she knocked his sword away. A sharp kick kept him from getting back up. The man in the orange cap backed up, eyes wide. This “secretary” defeated two-thirds of the Tightrope Walking Funan Brothers Trio in seconds. What was going on?

“CAPTAIN!”

Before he could do anything, the pommel of the sword crashed on the top of his head, and everything went dark.

* * *

Robin searched all around her after the last man’s outburst. Buggy was still in the main tent. The other trio had found the payroll safe, and were busy trying to get it open. She hoped for their sake they were more patient than these three had been with the door.

Seeing no immediate threats, Robin felt she had time to check a few other places in the building. She stole through the halls quietly to the chief mining engineer’s office. His records didn’t show any sign of unusual finds, either. He did have some precious gems stashed in his desk Robin suspected he wasn’t supposed to have, but that wasn’t what she was looking for.

(She took a couple anyway. She wouldn’t get their true value from a fence, but they’d bring in some money.)

The file room was likewise a bust. Slipping back into the hall, only dimly lit through the windows by a crescent moon hanging above the horizon, she made her way to the file room. She slowed her pace as she heard something moving her way, and ducked behind the only cover in the hallway, a large plant. The unicyclist rolled into view, the sword in his hand reflecting the faintest traces of moonlight as he paused at the junction. 

After another moment, he wheeled quietly on in his previous direction. Robin kept one eye on him until he rounded a corner, then moved swiftly the opposite way. The three she encountered earlier were waking up, but she’d tied up them securely. The other trio were still working on the safe.

As she rounded the last corner between her and the exit, the unicyclist rolled in front of her. One corner of his mouth twisted upwards enough to peek above his scarf.

“You must be the troublemaker I’m here to find. When will those three learn not to be fooled by a pretty face?”

Robin held her ground, but cast a cautious glance down the hall she’d just come from. It looked clear. “It is a lesson some struggle to learn,” she agreed. “I should tell you I have almost no money with me, nor did I take anything you might be interested in. It’s not worth your time to pursue me.”

The man smirked. “I disagree. The Captain asked for the everyone’s help, we can’t have exceptions. Would you care to surrender this time? I would hate for you to be badly injured.” 

As Robin shook her head, Cabaji surged forward, pumping the pedals at an impressive speed. Robin rolled right, trying to put his body between her and his blade. He made the unicycle hop into the air, and while doing so, spun around on the seat to swipe at her. She felt a sharp sting as he scored a shallow cut on her arm.

“You think you are the first to try that? Still, you did better at dodging than most.” 

Robin didn’t respond. She was closer to the door than him now. She turned to run. He chased, of course, and fast as she was, he was faster. Which is what she wanted.

 **“Dos Fleur: Seize.”** Two hands gripped the spokes, bringing the unicycle to a halt. The arms vanished immediately. Cabaji went flying off his seat, too confused by the turn of events to react. As he flew towards her, Robin spun and roundhouse kicked the swordsman squarely in the face. She was pretty pleased to still be wearing her hiking boots. Cabaji went spinning off to the side where he smashed face first into the wall and partially corkscrewed himself in.

Not wasting any more time, Robin headed for the docks.

* * *

Weaving between barrels and crates of supplies towards _Pipit_ , Robin was almost home free when a hand grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. Shock ran through her. How could it have happened? She hadn’t heard anyone approach. 

Robin kicked backwards, hitting nothing but air. She reached back to grip the wrist of her assailant, but couldn’t find that either.

It dawned on her. Buggy. Of course. The hand was here, but his body wasn’t. He wasn’t harming her, merely holding her in place, so Robin focused on finding the rest of him. Eyes scattered among the buildings, she spied him heading her way. 

Robin wasn’t any more interested in being captured by a pirate than the Marines. Hands formed on his shoulders and gripped his jaw. **“Twist.”**

The pirate’s head twisted around, then simply popped off his body entirely, floating in mid-air.

Robin cursed, then received another bad surprise as Buggy looked directly at one of her eyes and shook his head. It reminded her uncomfortably of her close call with Garp. Robin was not sure she could count on her opponent’s peculiarity saving her this time.

More arms appeared, grabbing at Buggy. One grabbed his right arm, so he detached it. That was what Robin counted on, as a chain of arms appeared on the ground, carrying the limb away. The clown split the arm into more pieces. More arms appeared to wrestle those to the ground, while still others continued to pull at the rest of the pirate captain. Buggy gaped as several body parts began to vanish around corners.

“That’s not funny, dammit!” Robin still couldn’t get the hand holding her to let go, couldn’t seem to get a grip on any fingers to break them, but this would at least slow-

Her chain of thought was broken by a knife, sticking out of a shoe, tapping gently against her leg. Damn, she had lost track of his feet. Glancing up, she saw Buggy’s head smirking at her, until it wobbled precariously.

Robin hadn’t been idle, her hands carrying any parts of Buggy they could to the water’s edge. She had just dipped part of his stomach in the ocean. Just a little. To make a point.

The clown pirate’s eyes narrowed, and his foot hopped onto her leg, jabbing the knife threateningly towards her inner thigh.

“Bleeding out through your femoral artery is a nasty way to die,” he said, almost conversationally.

In response, Robin let a few of Buggy’s other parts brush against the surface of the water. His head and foot both rocked unsteadily. 

Her voice was just as casual as his. “Yes, and I imagine it isn’t pleasant for you to lose your powers while your body is divided like this. I wonder if you would bleed out before I could drag the rest of you into the ocean.”

A bead of sweat trickled down Buggy’s face, even as the hand on her neck tightened. “I could break your neck.”

“Then my arms would vanish and I would certainly drop many parts of you into the sea. I hope your crew could recover them quickly.”

There was a brief staring contest. Robin thought Buggy was trying to assess how serious she was. She was trying to predict his next counter, and how she could get free of him. 

Finally, he broke the standoff with a dry chuckle and shook his head ruefully. “Seas, lady, you don’t fuck around. Truce?”

“As I told your unicyclist before he tried to kill me, I took nothing you want, and I need what little money I have,” she stated firmly.

Despite only being a head at the moment, the way he tilted suggested a shrug. “That’s fine. Part of being flashy is staying alive! We made enough from the rest of the town. Or we will once we blast open the payroll safe!” 

The foot hopped down from her leg, as the hand holding her let go. As it floated up to join its master, she noticed it gleamed with a dark metallic shine for just a moment. Then it was just a hand in a white glove. Buggy watched her patiently, detached foot tapping out some idle pattern on the stone street. Shortly, several sets of limbs brought an assortment of body parts, and the clown reassembled himself.

The two watched each other warily. Despite Robin’s bounty being over five times Buggy’s, she was not at ease.

“That was pretty flashy stealing my parts like that! Cheap, but still flashy!”

“It doesn’t seem to have done me much good.”

“Of course not! You’re dealing with the great Captain Buggy, Scourge of the East Blue!” He cackled maniacally. Robin started to feel confused, which only made her more wary. And curious, but Robin was always curious.

“If you don’t need my money, why did you stop me?”

“I didn’t say we didn’t need it, just that we won’t bother to take it. It’s flashier to be unpredictable that way! As for why I stopped you, I wondered what Nico Robin’s doing here.” His voice took on a sly tone.

“Enjoying a day at the circus. It was quite a good show.”

“I’ll be sure to tell the boys you enjoyed their work! Piracy should be entertaining, and profitable! Knowing things like that are what make me the best!” More cackling. Robin couldn’t help feeling he was trying a little too hard to be an idiot.

“If you have something you want to know, then ask. Otherwise, I would like to leave before the Marines arrive to try and catch you.”

“You’re not as smart as people say if you think the Marines are going to come after me! They’ll be blown to smithereens if they try!” Robin noticed Buggy gradually spacing his body parts to appear taller. He was still several inches shorter than her at the moment, though. “But like I said, I’m just wondering what a notorious pirate like yourself would be looking for here.”

“The same thing I’m always looking for. It isn’t anything that interferes with your interests.”

“You’re right, I’m not interested in the locations of the Ancient Weapons. My Buggy Balls are way more powerful than anything those relics could cook up.” Robin kept her face an expressionless mask. He paused from puffing himself up, to turn one knowing eye on her. 

“ _If_ that’s what you’re really after.” 

There was a long silence as the two watched each other carefully. Robin noted all Buggy’s manic energy vanished, replaced by a strangely placid air. Was he expecting her to confirm his suspicions? She wasn’t in the habit of handing that information out to anyone.

She took a cautious step back, towards her ship. “I’ll be taking my leave. I won’t mention to anyone that you’re only playing the fool. I wouldn't want to ruin your reputation.” 

The clown pirate tipped his cap. “And I won’t mention to anyone I saw you. I wouldn't want them to think we're associated.”

* * *

By the time the rest of the Buggy Pirates reached the dock, having robbed the audience and disassembled the circus, Robin already gone. Buggy watched the outline of her ship, a dark shadow gliding on calm seas.

Cabaji and Mohji marched up to report, Richie tailing dutifully behind. “Decent haul tonight, especially with all the ticket sales. But the second crew says they overdid it on the Muggy Balls and blew up the payroll.” 

Buggy groaned, hand clapped against his forehead dramatically. “Was it least a big, flashy explosion?”

Mohji nodded. “Oh yeah. Blew the Domingo Brothers eyebrows off.”

“Ha! Serves those lunkheads right. I thought we agreed they weren’t allowed to use explosives anymore.”

“You said to give them another shot.”

“What?! Impossible!”

“We were there, Captain Buggy! I swear! Right, Richie?” The lion rumbled in agreement.

“What happened to that woman?” Cabaji’s voice was muffled. Not because of his scarf, but because half of his face was swollen from Robin's kick. The boot's tread left its mark clearly.

“She left. Did you really try to kill her, Cabaji?

“No Captain! Well, not really. I might have gotten a little excited. Not often someone tries to challenge me instead of giving up.”

His captain huffed. “You’re lucky she held back as much as she did. If she wanted, you’d be in more pieces than even I could match!”

The swordsman's eyes widened. “From her?”

His captain nodded. “Spread the word among the crew, we cross that woman’s path again, leave her be. She has enough people after her, she doesn’t need our hassle. And we don’t need to get tangled up in her madness.”

His three lieutenants (Richie counted as one) looked out over the ocean, curious about who the mystery woman could be, to make their captain so grave.

Like flipping a switch, Buggy’s serious demeanor was gone, replaced by his normal manic excitement. “And there are so many better ways to get treasure! Like payroll safes!” He pumped his fist hard enough it popped loose and floated above them. Richie batted playfully at it.

Mohji hated to do it, but. . . “The boys blew up the payroll safe by accident, remember boss?”

“Dammit!” Buggy was crushed, limbs falling off to pile on the ground, but rebounded immediately. “That’s fine, there’s plenty more flashy treasures to be had in the seas! Right boys?”

“Right Captain!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, everybody's favorite directionally challenged swordsman returns!


	8. . . . Stooges to the Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin uses one trio of idiots to deal with a separate trio of idiots. Then, she decides it's time to take a second job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick timeline note: We're about 18 months from when Zoro and Luffy met in canon. Robin's somewhere between 26 and 27, and Zoro's between 17 and 18.

Robin shifted her shoulder, trying to move the pack slung over it so one of the books stopped jabbing her in the back. It would make more sense to stop and organize the pack properly, but she couldn’t muster the energy. Her focus was on putting one foot in front of the other, preferably without jarring her injured leg.

Robin spent the winter months exploring the Geode Islands. She wasn’t unused to rough winters. At fifteen, she spent most of the winter at sea. First on a particularly nasty pirate crew, then, after the pirates were attacked by Marines, two weeks on a lifeboat before she found land. At eleven, she was living in abandoned warehouses and eating whatever she could steal or scrounge.

So this was far from the worst winter she’d endured, but it still felt draining. While the island chain once held many kingdoms, there were several islands that were uninhabited or only sparsely populated now. The winter arrived slowly, then it simply lingered. Robin spent months trekking through mountains and canyons with only the wind, clawing at the warmth in her skin even through the cloak, for company. Day after day of grey skies, clouds blanketing the sky until she almost forgoy what the sun looked like. Sleet pelted her and damp snow soaked her. 

Searching the scattered remnants of vanished peoples’ lives. Looking for clues in the fragments that survived. Venturing to whatever mining town was nearest to resupply, or simply to be around other (live) people for a while. When she did, she barely spoke to anyone. She didn’t have the energy to strike up conversations, and it was just nice to hear voices other than her own, being surrounded by the bustle of lives still in progress.

Today, she trudged down the streets of Farrago, boots kicking up a low cloud of dust. The snow stopped falling over the last week, and Robin could hear the residents discussing the possibility spring was there with cautious optimism. Things were drying out enough the street wasn’t simply a muddy wallow, which Robin counted as a small victory. 

Farrago was fairly new, this island being one people had only recently returned to in the search of the same mineral wealth found on its neighbors. The demand for homes and stores grew rapidly as people flooded in, looking for chances to grow rich. The entire town had a rushed, ramshackle appearance that made one think it was built in day. Still, it was better than nothing. The town was certainly lively, judging by the amount of shouting and laughter.

Robin spent the last week examining ruins on the far side of the hills. They’d been interesting, mostly for the ways they were both similar and different from sites she examined on other islands in the archipelago. Ultimately, they hadn’t shone any light on her quest. Worse, one path gave way beneath her. She’d been slow to react, and now sported a cut on her leg, as well as what she was sure were some impressive bruises on her torso, when she landed in the old cistern. 

Robin blandly noticed blood staining through the calf of her jeans. She could feel it running down her leg as well. The makeshift bandage must have soaked through. Robin knew her supplies on the ship were running low, which is why she stopped in Farrago before returning to _Pipit_ , docked in a secluded cove outside town.

Robin kept her head down and hood up, not wanting to attract attention while injured. She searched for a general store, or any place she could get some food and medical supplies. As she did, she noticed three men arguing on the other side of the street. 

All below-average height, one wore his straight, dark hair in a bowl cut, hanging limply over his ears and forehead. The scowl was fixed on his face so firmly Robin suspected he looked that way even when happy. The second’s bright orange hair puffed out on the sides of his head, but his skin was extremely wrinkled, almost leathery. The third, entirely bald and heftier than the others, wore a derby hat too small for his head. Robin couldn’t tell what they were arguing about, except it raised their tempers enough they started to fight, slapping and jostling each other.

The few other people on the streets kept an eye on them but maintained a safe distance, so Robin did the same. Unfortunately, they were arguing in front of the first general store Robin had seen. Not wanting to risk being drawn in, she moved on. Cutting through an alley to the next street, Robin hoped for better results. Whether what she found was “better” is up to interpretation, but it was at least different. 

The street was a mix of houses and bars, not quite alternating between the two, but close. This street seemed to be the source of most of the liveliness in town, as it was much more crowded, people entering and exiting the bars constantly. Sometimes even through the doors. 

_‘At least one wouldn’t worry about getting lost on the way home from the bar. Unless their sense of direction was as poor as that green-haired swordsman’s.'_

Chuckling to herself as she scanned the street’s offerings, she saw nothing promising. She did, however, find another trio arguing. In this case, two against one rather than a free-for-all. And Robin knew this group.

* * *

“I’m telling you, they’re this way,” the familiar green-haired bounty hunter assured the other two as he marched down the street, one hand resting easily on his white sword.

“Brother Zoro, that man told us to take a left and then a right. You took a right, and then _three more rights_.” The man no longer had a mohawk, black hair cut in a simple, short style. His sleeveless trench coat replaced with a blue denim jacket.

“I took the last two turns because you guys got us off-course, and I had to correct,” the first swordsman said firmly.

“But we’ve been down this street five times now,” the other bounty hunter whined. He had buzzed off all his hair, and wore a red head protector now, along with a green trench coat (with sleeves), a gray shirt, and shorts. Robin wondered if he lost a bet to be dressed like that.

“I’ll find them, just let me think!” Zoro exclaimed, face flushed in frustration.

“Just who are you seeking this time, Mister Swordsman?”

Zoro’s eyes met hers, momentary surprise replaced by a friendly smirk. “Miss Archaeologist, nice to see you aren’t dead yet.” 

Then he frowned, noticing the blood stain on her jeans and generally battered appearance. “What happened, history decide to take a piece of you in exchange?”

“Some secrets are not surrendered easily,” she replied mysteriously. “Are you perhaps, lost?” Her teasing was clear, and his frown shifted to a defensive scowl.

“NO. I know where the guys we’re looking for are. Johnny and Yosaku keep confusing me.”

“Brother Zoro, do you know this woman?” Yosaku asked.

“Yeah, and so do you Yosaku.”

“What?!” Johnny exclaimed, grabbing his partner by the collar, shaking him angrily. “What are you doing making friends with such an attractive woman without me, huh?”

“We have also met, Mister Bounty Hunter.” Robin laughed, before adding in sly, suggestive tone, “Perhaps the two of you were too drunk to remember. You were both quite exhausted when you wound up in a heap at the end.”

The two processed this statement, faces reddening as they adopted matching goofy expressions.

“You mean we?” Johnny asked.

“ _Together?_ ” Yosaku added.

“She means you guys tried to dance and fell over each other,” Zoro stated bluntly. When Robin nodded, the two slumped over, depressed.

“Don’t feel bad. You were celebrating saving a town from a villain, as I recall. And I may not have formally introduced myself. Gespenst Raserei, traveling archaeologist.”

The two straightened up sharply, taking on a serious air. “We are Johnny and Yosaku, bounty hunters! Pleased to meet you! Er, again.”

“Likewise. I assume you are after some criminals right now?”

“That’s right! The notorious Hole in the Shoe Gang! Just look!” Johnny held out a wanted poster showing the three men arguing one street over, looking quite stunned at having their pictures taken. Only a 2 million Beri bounty for all three, she noted. Most of their crimes involved mass destruction of public property (as well as several for _"general stupidity and public nuisance"_???). Nothing about any loss of life. Surprising.

Robin saw an opportunity. “Would you wait here, please?”

* * *

The Hole in the Shoe Gang were still arguing in front of the store. It was still unclear about what. Robin wondered if even they knew. Leaning casually against the wall, she called out.

“Pardon me, gentlemen?”

The trio looked up, then around in all directions. Eventually the one with dark hair looked to the other two and exclaimed, “She means us!” All three rushed across the street and came to a halt in front of her, jostling each other to be closest.

“Would the three of you happen to be Lurry, Mo, and Carly? The Hole in the Shoe Gang?” she asked, fluttering her lashes.

“We certainly are, my little chickadee,” the dark-haired one said. “But don’t be afraid, we wouldn’t hurt a fly.” 

“Except with your face, which is lethally frightening to small children,” the orange-haired one jabbed, only to hair his hair grabbed immediately.

“What was that, Homunculus?” The dark-haired one snarled. Meanwhile, the bald one, who removed his derby in an attempt at manners, flashed a toothy smile, and reached for her hand.

Robin took a careful step back. “I have some friends who would love to meet you,” she purred. Three sets of eyes lit up.

“Far be it from us to disappoint your friends. Lead on!”

“They’ll be so glad to hear that. Walk this way, please.” Robin turned down the alley. She added a little sway to her hips as she did. When she glanced over her shoulder, she saw the three of them trying to mimic her walk. 

Reaching the next street, Robin continued to Zoro and his friends as the criminals burst out of the alley eagerly. Their heads swiveled, confused. “Where’s the dames?” Lurry asked.

Robin ignored them, stepping aside for the three bounty hunters. Recognizing their prey, Johnny and Yosaku stepped forward.

“Hole in the Shoe Gang! I’m. . . _Johnny!_ ” He went through a series of elaborate movements, ending with him in a low stance, legs apart, sword in his right hand, blade edge facing up, the end facing right. His other hand extended in front of him, palm facing his prey.

His partner joined him. “And I’m. . . _Yosaku!_ ” He ended in the mirror image of Johnny’s stance, so that the ends of their swords just touched.

“We’re here to capture you in the name of Justice!” the duo proclaimed in unison.

“Quite an impressive entrance,” Robin remarked to Zoro. The swordsman next her just looked embarrassed.

“It better be, they spent three days practicing that.”

It seemed to work, because the Hole in the Shoe Gang panicked. “AHHHHHHH!”

They fled back down the alley, Johnny and Yosaku in pursuit. Reaching the street where they’d been arguing, they turned right, and a few seconds later, appeared around the corner on the opposite side of the building from where the chase started. Then they went back down the alley _again_ , bounty hunters still in pursuit, but falling behind. This sequence repeated itself, Johnny and Yosaku falling even further back. Finally, on the fourth revolution, the Hole in the Shoe Gang lapped their pursuers.

By running over them. 

Zoro clapped a hand to his face. Robin could only stare as the trio kept running and ran over Johnny and Yosaku a second time before noticing it. At which point Mo placed his foot on the back of Johnny’s head and began to boast.

“I told you there was nothing to worry about! I handled them single-handedly!” He jabbed his thumb into his chest proudly.

Carly objected, stepping forward and jutting his gut into his friend’s(?) stomach. “Wait a minute! What about me?”

“What about you?”

“I deserve some credit!”

“Oh, you want credit, eh? Why you-“

“HEY!” Zoro had seen enough. He stepped forward, drawing swords as he did. Once he held all three, they recognized him.

 _“The Pirate Hunter!?”_ The three screamed, trembling. Mo shoved Carly forward.

“Go on, Hammerhead, show him how it’s done.” The man seemed unwilling at first, then sucked in a breath and swung his arms back and forth in front of him while running in place. Then he charged, head aimed at Zoro like a cannonball.

The swordsman easily sidestepped the attack, but Carly kept running and smashed into a saloon. Robin noted there wasn’t much of a reaction from the people inside. Until the building trembled, and half of it collapsed. _Then_ there were many surprised and horrified cries. Shouts of "Save the booze!" carried clearly. 

Carly emerged from the dust, patting down his clothes, unharmed. Robin began to understand why they were wanted for property destruction, but noticed Lurry approaching her.

“So, uh, do you come to this place of residences often?” He fiddled with his fingers while looking up at her shyly.

“No, I haven’t ever visited this island before.” Robin wished she hadn’t gotten so amused with the fight (such as it was), and had just bought the supplies she wanted.

“Oh, it’s a swell place,” the man said. “I mean, I’m from the 8th island of the Persei Archipelago myself, Omicron, but this place wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t get destroyed so easily.”

Robin wasn’t sure what to make of this conversation, but thankfully the fight resumed to act as a distraction. 

“You chowderhead, let a man do it that knows how!” Mo drew a giant board with a spike through it from. . . somewhere and stepped forward, rearing back to smash it through the Pirate Hunter. Zoro cut through the board with one swing. The man retreated with a cry, and Carly, after barking(?) at Zoro, charged forward again.

The swordsman decided to meet the attack this time. “ **Bull Charge!** ” 

Carly halted in his tracks as two blades stabbed into him repeatedly. Driven backwards onto his butt, he whimpered and patted the top of his head, which showed very little damage.

“Oh, oh, oh, o-hey look,” he pointed at Zoro’s swords. The ends of the two blades in his hands were both blunted.

Zoro’s jaw dropped. “Those aren't cheap! What the hell is your skull made of?”

Mo dashed over to pat Carly on the shoulder. “That’s usin’ the old cannonball, kid. Now go get ‘im!” Carly resumed barking and charged again.

Zoro sidestepped, but jabbed his swords forward, trapping Carly’s body between them. “ **Crab Grab!** ” He hurled Carly into the air, and as gravity pulled him back down, Zoro leapt above him, swords held high overhead for an instant before both slammed heavily into Carly’s midsection.

The criminal went hurtling towards the ground. And towards Mo, standing dumbly beneath him. The impact sent debris everywhere. It even convinced some people to leave the bars to see what was going on. When the dust cleared, there was a hole in the outline of the two men in the ground.

The swordsman wasn’t pleased, muttering grumpily. “Now I’ll have to dig them out. Maybe get Johnny and Yosaku to do that. . .”

Lost in his thoughts, Zoro didn’t notice Lurry drawing a pistol. Without thinking, Robin grabbed his wrist and flipped him. Lurry was rolled onto his stomach with his arm bent back painfully before he registered what happened. The fight left him instantly.

“You shouldn’t lower your guard so swiftly, Mr. Roronoa,” Robin said, pocketing the gun. Zoro nodded, a measure of respect in his eyes. A groan from the hole in front of Zoro drew their attention. With difficulty, Mo pulled himself back to street level.

“Ohhh, I’ll moider you. . .” the threat died on his lips as one of Zoro’s swords rested against his throat.

Mo’s demeanor changed immediately, nervous chuckle escaping him. “Now, let’s not be hasty.”

“Good call,” Zoro grunted, glancing over at his partners, just beginning to stir.

“Where are they?” Johnny asked as he and Yosaku rose.

“Beaten.”

“Then, we _lost?_ ” Yosaku asked, near tears.

“Only, only by a hair right?” Johnny begged, already crying as a dark cloud of despair threatened to swallow him whole.

* * *

Robin’s stomach growled impatiently. As it turned out, being the only general store in a rapidly growing town meant one could charge absurd prices for everything. Prices Robin could not afford, scowling at the none-too-fresh looking food on the shelves. There was always card sharking, but people in this town seemed to cope with defeat by shooting the ones who beat them. Or accusing them of cheating and forming a mob. 

(Robin had enough experience with mobs for ten lifetimes.)

Plus, Robin was hungry now. She lost track of time exploring the ruins, along with other minor nuisances. Like food, and sleep. Without the ruins to occupy her mind, and no set plan on where to go next, the gnawing in her stomach was difficult to ignore. Worse, it added to her mental exhaustion, and the dark thoughts she normally kept at bay.

She could feel them gaining strength. The voice that said her efforts were in vain. That she was a failure and disgrace to her teachers. She needed to keep moving, find another lead or place to explore. Even if that meant risking searching Marine bases now, at least until another lead presented itself.

(She could keep ahead of the thoughts if she didn’t stand still.)

Well, she was leaving the island anyway, there wasn’t any reason to resist the urge to apply a five-finger discount.

“There you are, Raserei.” Robin whirled to find the emerald-haired swordsman watching her, one hand on his hip.

“Mr. Roronoa, what are you doing here? I expected you to be in the saloon with your partners, drinking with all their new friends.”

“I don’t have time for all that,” he responded, a little too quickly.

“Are you certain? I would be happy to guide you, if that is the issue.”

“I said, I’m not looking for them! I can find them just fine if I want!” He paused, composed himself. “I was looking for you.”

His serious air put her on edge, even if that seemed his default state. He didn't seem to be there to fight (and Robin hadn't missed how his final blow against Carly was with the backs of his blades. Once again, Roronoa Zoro's actions didn't match the Pirate Hunter's reputation.)

Robin still took a step back on reflex. Put herself out of reach of his swords. Just in case. Cautiously, she asked, “Why?”

Rather than his swords, Zoro reached into his green haramaki and pulled out a wad of money. He thrust it towards her. 

Robin looked down at the money as if it was some bizarre alien creature. “What is this?”

“Money, obviously,” the man responded, amused. “Your share of the bounty for those three weirdos. Johnny and Yosaku agreed - once they stopped crying - you deserved a share. You took down Lurry, after all. 500,000 Beris. Probably need that much to buy a sandwich in this dump.”

“Hey!” the shopkeeper, a small, thin man with a pencil mustache and thick glasses shouted. “You don’t appreciate my wares, you just get out!”

“I’m going to, if this woman will take the money.”

Robin did, gratefully. “Thank you, Mr. Roronoa. Would you like to wait here with me until your two friends find us?”

The bounty hunter shook his head. “No, I gotta go buy tickets on the next ship out. Johnny and Yosaku won’t remember, and if we stay any longer we’ll be broke again before we get out of here. If you see either of those two, would you point ‘em to the docks?”

Without waiting for a reply, he exited the store, left arm waving lazily while the right rested on the hilts of his swords. “Good luck with your work, Miss Archaeologist.”

Robin nodded absently, still staring at the money. Outwardly calm, her mind whirled furiously, considering possibilities. The annoyed shopkeeper interrupted her thinking.

“Ma’am, you gonna spend that money or just stare at it?”

* * *

Zoro grumbled as he approached the ticket booth. It took him forty minutes to find it. When the mayor (in between slapping Zoro on the shoulder and acting as though he helped bring in those idiots) bragged about how their town was growing every day, Zoro hadn’t realized he meant it _literally_.

The swordsman roamed the dusty streets and narrow alleys, only to wind up back at the general store where he found Miss Archeologist. She was gone by then, though. He could see the coastline from there and start again, only to wind up somewhere else entirely. One time a church, a graveyard the next. He didn’t know what was happening with this screwy town.

(He sometimes had difficulty finding places, but didn’t stress too much about it. He always ended up where he needed to be in time. He couldn’t understand why it was so bad this time, though.)

Finally, after three more false starts, he found the booth. He found something else he wasn’t expecting.

(No, not a perfectly sober and serious Johnny and Yosaku. Zoro did not believe in miracles.)

The archaeologist leaned against the wall of the depot, one leg crossed over the other, that little smile she liked to wear on her face. The one that didn’t reach her eyes. 

“There you are, Mr. Swordsman. I began to wonder if you decided to join your partners in their festivities after all.”

“No, this town is just nuts. They must be adding new buildings every minute.” He turned to look up the hill, half expecting several new structures appear in the blink of an eye. When none did, he turned back to her. “And what are you doing here? Decide to leave while you still have your cash?”

Her smile didn’t change, but Zoro saw something else that wasn’t there before. Uncertainty. “Yes, although the food at the store was not nearly as expensive as you feared.” A pause. “I have a proposition for you.”

Zoro raised one eyebrow skeptically, but waited to hear her pitch.

“I imagine the cost of purchasing tickets eats into your profits from these bounties, which are already depleted by food, medical expenses, new swords,” she looked pointedly at the two blades whose tips were bent. “Plus, it leaves you at the mercy of sticking to the islands and paths vessels normally take.”

Zoro grunted, acknowledging her point, remaining silent otherwise.

“I have a small ship. You might remember it. You were there the day I purchased it. And-“

“And you’d be willing to let us pay to use it,” he finished, unimpressed.

“Not exactly. I would like to join your little group.”

“You decide to abandon history in favor of bounty hunting?” The idea actually amused him. “I can tell you, most of them aren’t as easy as that one.”

Robin laughed. It actually sounded genuine. “I would imagine not. No, I’m not much of a fighter-“ at Zoro’s look of disbelief, she amended, “though I know how. But I’m quite good at gathering information and finding things. And you would gain greater freedom of movement.”

“Won’t it interfere with your work? A lot of these bounties like to stay near cities. Not really where you want to be.”

“True, but there’s nothing stating we have to immediately seek the next bounty as soon as one is captured, correct? I’m hoping that, if we work together, you and your partners would be willing to accompany me on my searches. I sometimes find valuable items.” She threw in the last as bait.

The mention of wealth didn’t interest Zoro, but he was still intrigued. “And sometimes you run into traps, right? Or dangerous animals?”

Robin nodded slowly, unsure where he was going with this. Was the threat of danger unacceptable? “Yes, sometimes.”

He turned away, letting her view him in profile as he mumbled to himself. “Need for heightened awareness, different kinds of opponents, endurance. Be good training.”

He turned back to her. “I’m game, but I have to ask Johnny and Yosaku if they’re in.” 

Zoro wasn’t sure how that would go. He was starting to suspect their interests and his were growing apart. Zoro needed challenges to push himself further until he found Mihawk. Bounty hunting, in theory, provided that, and money. His partners were focused on protecting people (although not enough to work at getting stronger as much as Zoro thought they should). And money.

Raserei (Zoro didn’t think that was her real name, but she didn’t have a bounty he knew of. She could use a fake name if she wanted) seemed satisfied by his answer. “Shall we go find them and ask?”

She walked past him, back into town. “Just follow me, Mr. Swordsman.”

Zoro shrugged and fell into step beside her. If this constantly changing town didn’t confuse the archaeologist, he’d let her lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it took me 8 chapters to actually team the two main characters up. This is just how my brain works, for better or worse. Probably worse.
> 
> Poor Johnny and Yosaku. I'm being so mean to those hapless goobers. I'll be nicer next chapter.


	9. Making Friends and Busting Heads (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin adapts to life as a bounty hunter, and to sharing her floating home with three other people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next are montages. I had a bunch of partially formed ideas for the quartet I just wanted to throw out there.
> 
> Plus, I wanted to be at least a little nicer to Johnny and Yosaku than I was in earlier chapters.

Johnny and Yosaku were quite confused when they awoke already out at sea. 

Also quite nauseous and hungover.

“Where are we again?” Yosaku asked as he lifted his head from over the side of _Pipit’s_ railing to empty some of his “revelry” into the ocean.

“For the seventh time, on the historian’s boat,” Zoro replied from where he rested against the railing on the opposite side.

“Historian?” Johnny groaned. “You mean the nice lady from town?”

“Yes. Nice to meet you, again, Mr. Bounty Hunters,” Robin stood at the helm, watching them with a mischievous smirk.

And _why_ are we on her boat?” Yosaku asked as the two slumped to the deck, stomachs quiescent for the moment.

“She’s our new partner.” Zoro, to the point as always.

“WHAT?!” Surprise in stereo was always funny (or annoying, depending on Robin’s mood). To be fair, this was the first time the conversation got this far. Each spell of vomiting seemed to result in the bounty hunters forgetting everything discussed previously.

“Mister Swordsman mentioned you spend a not-inconsiderable sum from bounties you collect on passage between islands. I offered the use of my boat in exchange for a share of the rewards.”

“And we help her when she goes to inspect these ruins she’s interested in. If there are traps, or monsters or whatever,” Zoro added dismissively.

“But we’re bounty hunters, not, not bodyguards,” Johnny wailed, as if this had turned his worldview upside-down.

“When did we agree to this?” Yosaku asked.

“You didn’t.”

“WHAT?!” 

Robin made a note to ask Zoro if they were always so synchronized as she let the shadow of her hat hide all but her wicked smile. “Indeed, we abducted you.”

Watching the two of them snap their slack-jawed faces back and forth between her and Zoro was pretty funny. Robin wasn’t likely to be bored with these two around. Zoro shrugged in the face of their shock. “Pretty much.” 

Once it became clear the two were looking for any island they could swim to, he sighed and explained. “You were too drunk to listen, we went ahead and carried you on the boat before you spent all your money on overpriced booze. And we aren’t giving up on bounty hunting.”

“You may not believe this, but I’m quite good at gathering information,” Robin supplied.

“Look, if you’re not up for it, that’s alright,” Zoro continued. “We’ll take you to the next island, and go our separate ways. But I think this could be a good challenge for me, so I’m sticking with Raserei.”

Johnny and Yosaku sat in quiet reflection before glancing at each other. Something unspoken passed between them. Decision made, the two rose in unison. 

“There’s no way we could abandon such inexperienced bounty hunters! It would go against our sworn duty to protect the weak!”

At Zoro’s raised eyebrow in response to being called “weak”, Johnny quickly amended that statement. “We mean, we can _protect_ the weak more effectively as part of a larger team!”

“Wonderful,” Robin said with a smile that almost reached her eyes. They were amusing, but long-honed doubts lingered. She hoped she wouldn’t regret this decision.

* * *

Having other people on board took getting used to. It was certainly noisier, mostly due to Johnny and Yosaku. Beyond their curious tendency to break into dance at seemingly any positive development, they also snored. On the other hand, they both knew the basics of sailing and navigation. More importantly, they told her early on not to let Zoro navigate.

(Robin already knew this, but it was encouraging they weren’t oblivious to their partner’s directional issues.)

 _‘They aren’t bad fishermen, either.’_ She observed from the helm as Yosaku battled something on the end of his line, while Johnny cheered him on.

“That’s it, Yosaku, you’ve got him! Show that fish who’s boss!”

“Hrragh!” his partner uttered a war cry as he leaned back and gave a mighty wrench, lifting a sizeable tuna out of the ocean to land on the deck. The two began dancing in celebration immediately.

“Sister Raserei, look at this massive fish! It’ll be great for dinner!”

Robin giggled. It hardly took a day for the pair to apply the “sister” label to her. She wasn’t dropping her guard, not so quickly, but it was nice to be spoken to with such fondness, even if they didn't really know who they were speaking to. 

“Very impressive, but I’m afraid your catch is not ready to surrender yet.”

The tuna was indeed trying to flop its way back to the sea, so the two bounty hunters tackled it. A fierce struggle ensued, the humans refusing to release their grip on the slippery fish, while the fish flailed its fins and tail in hopes of breaking free.

“Get. . . your. . . sword, Yosaku!” Johnny shouted, right before a katana stabbed through the tuna’s skull, inches from Johnny’s face, which turned chalk white instantly. 

Zoro withdrew his blade, wiped it down carefully, and returned to the front of the ship where he’d been napping, ready to resume training.

The swordsman was quite dedicated. He spent a healthy portion of every day moving through various sword forms. Starting with one blade, then two, and finally three. His movements almost a dance, he and the blades in perfect synchronization. He moved with grace and lightness Robin wouldn’t have expected from his heavy footfalls. During these times, the swordsman was quiet, not unusual for him. But it was a silence of focus, all his attention on the task at hand, rather than simply being solitary or unfriendly. 

Robin observed him frequently, mostly because when his blades were out, he was the greatest potential threat. He hadn’t shown any sign he recognized her as Nico Robin (or had even heard of her), or held hostile intent, but she hadn’t survived this long being careless.

(She also kept a close eye on Johnny and Yosaku, though they’d hardly touched their swords since this partnership began, and she was reasonably certain they were incapable of stealth.)

* * *

“I’m terribly sorry, Sister Raserei!” Yosaku cried out as he slammed his forehead on the floor in a desperate bow.

Mr. Martinet had said _Pipit_ could easily accommodate two, or even three people. Four was pushing things. It helped the three men all packed lightly. Especially Zoro, who had hardly any possessions beyond the clothes he wore and his three swords.

They tended to eat outside because the kitchen, which was also the wheelhouse, was cramped seating that many people. They could all fit in there, but at least one person had to lean against the wall next to the wheel. At least spring in the East Blue was mild.

The cabin downstairs had just the one bed, and everyone agreed as it was her ship, the bed should be hers. If the others noticed she locked the door at night, they didn’t comment. (She was certain they didn’t know she placed a chair under the knob as an added precaution). 

Not that she slept much these first few weeks. If she was in her cabin rather than steering or on watch, she kept eyes on her three partners unless they were all asleep. She invited them on board, and was reasonably confident she could defeat all three easily, but she wasn’t going to be careless.

Johnny and Yosaku slept in the wheelhouse/kitchen upstairs, using their duffel bags as pillows and coats as blankets until Robin bought them some bedding at the first island they reached. The two of them slept like rocks, or children, unconscious almost as soon as they laid down, all energy expended. They stayed that way unless someone or something woke them.

Zoro slept on the deck most of the time, day or night, in any weather. Not for more than three hours at a time, though. He accepted the blanket she purchased, but insisted he didn’t need the pillow. (Robin added it to her bed, to prop her up when reading.) She found him interesting. He could sleep as soundly as the other two, completely undisturbed by Johnny and Yosaku dancing or arguing. But he was instantly alert to any threat.

The biggest issue was having only one bathroom, accessed through her cabin. They established a rotation for what days each of them could use the shower, and today was Robin’s. 

But there were still other needs, and today Yosaku barged into the cabin without thinking. Robin was at least wrapped in a large, canary yellow fluffy towel, having finished drying before she exited the bathroom. 

(She splurged on towels with some of the bounty money from the Hole in the Shoe Gang. It was a small creature comfort, but she liked being wrapped in a warm, soft towel. The same when it came to blankets or quilts. It was almost like receiving a hug. Robin would take what she could get. Especially since using her powers to give herself a hug didn’t work.

She couldn’t fool her mind into believing someone else would actually hug her.)

For just a moment, a goofy look appeared on Yosaku’s face, and Robin readied herself. Then he shook his head and dropped to his knees before her, bowing to the ground while apologizing furiously.

“Mister Trench Coat, it’s all right. You can get up.” Robin wanted him to stop and leave so she could actually get dressed and deal with this upstairs. Unfortunately, Yosaku’s yelling brought Johnny rushing down to investigate.

“Yosaku, what’s the matter?” As soon as he reached them, Yosaku grabbed the waist of his shirt and pulled him to the ground as well. “What? What is it?”

“I walked in on Sister Raserei as she was getting out of the shower! Or getting in! I’m not sure which!” Yosaku explained hurriedly, forehead still on the floor.

“Yosaku, what were you thinking?!”

“I’m sorry, I think I shouldn’t have had the artichokes with dinner last night! They always disagree with me!”

“I warned you!”

Their faces were still pressed against the floor through all of this. Robin wondered if they’d even notice if she went ahead and got dressed. She sighed as she heard Zoro’s footsteps on the stairs. 

_‘I might as well sell tickets.’_

She heard the swordsman grumble, then the other two were abruptly dragged away. She heard yelps as their heads knocked against the stairs. She swiftly closed the door, overhearing, “Maybe you two could let her get dressed and then try apologizing.”

“I _really_ need to use the bathroom, though.”

“We’re on the ocean. Just go over the side.”

“What? Out here, Brother Zoro?! Where everyone can see?”

“Who’s gonna see, Yosaku? The fish?”

“Well, uh, you two are both here!”

Zoro’s volume went up as he apparently reached his limit. _“Why would either of us watch that?!”_

* * *

Robin rose from her seat at the bar, giving the round-faced man on the stool next to her a warm smile while she stroked his goateed chin lightly. 

“I’ll return in just a moment, please wait for me. Then we can leave together.” The man’s smile indicated he was prepared to stay in that seat for a century if that was how long it took for her to return.

She stepped away, heading towards the rear of the pub, as if intending to visit the powder room. As she passed the last booth, she dropped a handkerchief. Crouching to retrieve it, she whispered to the three occupants. “Blonde Beck is in room 4C. He does have a woman with him, but is otherwise alone. All of his men are scattered down here. His pistols will most likely be hanging on the headboard, so you’ll need to get to them quickly.” She rose and resumed her course.

“Don’t worry, he won’t know what hit him,” Johnny murmured from beneath his cloak.

“We’ll leave these small fry to you, Brother Zoro,” Yosaku added.

The final member of their quartet sat in the furthest, darkest corner of the booth, arms folded across his chest, eyes shut as if asleep. “That’s fine. I’m not interested in fighting an unarmed man.”

Robin heard the duo’s footsteps as they climbed the stairs and moved swiftly down the hall to the proper room. She quickly stepped back to the bar, returning to her suitor, Blonde Beck’s second-in-command.

“Now, where were we?” she asked in her sultriest tone. The man leered at the cleavage her low-cut shirt displayed (although Robin suspected he would have focused there even if she’d been wearing a potato sack.)

“Well, I believe I was about to show you our base of operations. There’s a great view from my quarters-“

He cut off at a loud crash from above, followed by a man’s surprised shout, and a woman’s scream. The sounds of a scuffle carried down, and the man yelled, “Boys, help! Bounty hunt-“ he fell silent at the same time there was the sound of something being hit. 

Robin stepped quickly out of the way as the second-in-command rose, pistol drawn, rushing towards the stairs. Before he made it, he was cut off by the slash of a sword. The barrel of the gun clattered to the floor, and the man lurched back as the lower half of his shirt joined it.

The rest of his men rose to join him as Zoro stood firmly at the foot of the stairs, swords drawn. He eyed the group of pirates skeptically.

“I hope you guys put up enough of a fight to be worth the trouble.”

* * *

The four of them sat around a table in a (different) tavern after their first successful capture as an official team. Robin sipped occasionally from a glass of wine, while the men drank more heavily. Zoro’s cheeks were just starting to turn red as he returned with another round, but Johnny and Yosaku were quite plastered.

“We gotta have one, though!” Yosaku insisted.

“What’s he on about?” Zoro asked as he sat down.

“Mister Trench Coat insists our partnership should have a formal name.”

“Yeah!” Yosaku pounded the table for emphasis, spilling the remnants of his last beer in his lap. He didn’t notice. “All the pirate crews have names, why shouldn’t we have one?”

“You didn’t care when it was just three of us,” Zoro pointed out.

“Yeah, but, but, now we have a ship of our own! We’re like a crew!”

Robin found the whole thing amusing enough to encourage it. “Well, what do you suggest?”

“The Justice Guild!”

Robin wrinkled her nose in distaste at the word “justice”. Zoro flatly stated, “Not a chance in hell.”

“Why not?”

“It sounds stupid.”

Johnny managed to lift his head off the table. “What about The Four Swords?”

Zoro shook his head. “It would be The Five Swords.”

“Eh? But there’s only four of us? Or did you and Sister Raserei kidnap someone else to add?”

“Maybe he’s saying he and Sister Raserei made a new member of our team?” Yosaku slurred.

“I don’t think Mister Swordsman and I have reached the point in our relationship where we’ve discussed children yet,” Robin laughed.

“Why the hell would we be bringing a baby on bounty hunting trips anyway?” Zoro looked entirely lost. Robin thought he’d be more accustomed to it by now. “I said Five Swords because between us, we carry five swords.”

“But there’s only four of us,” Johnny argued.

“The Four Swords of Justice!” Yosaku shouted, leaping to his feet before slipping in a puddle of beer and falling under the table. The others ignored him.

“Raserei doesn’t use a sword, though.” Zoro looked at her, appraising her. “Unless you want to learn.”

Robin shook her head. Johnny was undeterred. “Her mind is her sword! It’s sharp like the finest blades!”

“Fufufufu. Why thank you, Mister Sunglasses. That’s a wonderful compliment.”

Johnny puffed up, pleased at her praise. “It’s true, though. We found those guys so much faster because of you.”

“He’s got a point,” Zoro conceded. “You definitely did your part.”

Robin wasn’t unused to being complimented, though less often on her mind than her looks or her lethal capabilities. And the compliments, even if the people giving them were intoxicated, felt genuine. It was. . . nice.

* * *

Yosaku stared at the complex of ruins skeptically. “You think there’s something of value in here? Like treasure?”

The two trudged through the surprise late spring snow that fell steadily, softly around them. Coating the surroundings and muffling their steps. Johnny followed a few paces behind. Zoro was in the lead, looking for threats, coat slung indifferently over his shoulder.

Robin paused to brush off a wall to examine images carved into it. “Not in the sense you mean, Mr. Trenchcoat. Information about the past is incredibly valuable to me.”

“Is this where you’re from? You’re trying to learn about your ancestors?” 

Robin looked at Yosaku cautiously. What was he getting at with these questions? “No, although in a sense they are all of our ancestors, since their actions may have helped to form the world in which we live.”

“So, if you learn about then, you’ll understand now better?”

“Not exactly, but I’ll understand how we got to where we are now better.”

“Yosaku, Sister Raserei, did either of you see where Brother Zoro went?”

* * *

Robin was making her way towards the quarry at a full sprint, heedless of the warm summer rain, when she spied Johnny and Yosaku coming her way almost as quickly. She ducked into an alley, not wanting to make an obvious target for whatever trouble was doubtlessly chasing them.

“Where is Brother Zoro?!” Johnny panted desperately as the two ran down the street. Water splashed up from beneath their steps and filled their boots as it ran down their legs.

Robin had found the location of their target, a killer-for-hire named Silence. Her initial information said she was meeting a client in an old quarry outside town. The three swordsmen headed out immediately to capture her. Robin, more than willing to leave the fighting to them, agreed to stay behind.

There were two problems: One, on the way to the hotel, Robin overheard two sailors discussing seeing the 6 million Beri bounty, the shooter called Wild Joe, in town. Headed towards the old quarry. Some swift questioning revealed another killer, the 1.5 million Beri Gottkanone, had been seen as well. 

Silence wasn’t meeting a client, she was meeting two other killers to discuss a partnership of their own.

The other problem, which Robin didn’t know until she found Johnny and Yosaku, was that, in the driving rain, the pair lost track of Zoro somewhere along the way. 

“You won’t escape!” a large man called from behind as he thundered after them. The duo ducked as another shell went whistling overhead.

“Don’t you know how to correct for the wind, you fool?” The voice came from nearby. Silence was trying to use the rain to hide, but Robin spied her slipping along rooftops.

“Shut it, scrawny!”

Robin assessed the situation. Johnny and Yosaku, as close combat fighters, were at a disadvantage against all these opponents with ranged weapons. Especially without Zoro, who would challenge anyone fearlessly and draw most of the attention. Their chances of survival were low. She could just stay out of sight, leave them to their fate. If the emerald-haired swordsman ever found his way here, she would explain she was too late. Or just leave him behind as well.

She sighed. There was no guarantee the killers wouldn't turn on her if they noticed her. At least surprise was on her side. Johnny and Yosaku ran past the alley, and Robin drew the pistol she’d taken off Lurry months ago. She preferred not to use it, but maintained it just in case. She saw Gottkanone pause to actually aim this time, rather than simply firing as he ran. Aiming carefully, she put a single bullet down the barrel of the weapon.

The shell within detonated, the man screaming as his face vanished in the flare of gunpowder and shrapnel. Johnny and Yosaku skidded to a stop at the sound, turning to see what happened. Robin’s attention was already elsewhere, knowing Silence lurked nearby and would likely be readying an attack.

Before she could do anything further, a shot from the other direction knocked the pistol from her hand. Wild Joe had gotten ahead of them. He stood waiting on the edge of a rooftop, rifle aimed at them as his coat whipped around his legs in the wind.

Robin turned her head his direction, trying to figure out if she could use her powers without Johnny and Yosaku noticing. Silence took that moment to attack, hurling a dagger at her neck. 

Robin twisted to dodge, but Johnny jumped in the way. He tried to deflect it with his sword, but the dagger stuck in his arm instead. Still, he kept his feet, sword held towards Silence, even as Yosaku appeared on her other side, between her and Wild Joe.

“Sister Raserei, try to reach that alley,” Yosaku whispered. “We’ll keep them busy while you find Brother Zoro.”

“Wouldn’t try it little lady,” Wild Joe called. “I can hit you through him easy enough.”

“I could thank you for demonstrating how unworthy that fool was as a practitioner of death,” Silence stated indifferently, brandishing several throwing knives, “but I’ll just kill you all instead.”

A yell echoed from somewhere above. Everyone turned to find the source, only to see a green-haired projectile land on Wild Joe. The roof collapsed along with part of the wall from the impact. The dust and debris kicked into the air quickly lost the battle against the rain and were pushed back to the earth, to be carried to the sea.

A voice in the rubble muttered, “Where the fuck did that cliff come from?”

Caught off-guard by the turn of events, Silence wasn’t ready when Robin pulled the dagger from Johnny’s arm and threw it at her. Johnny and Yosaku took advantage of the situation and charged. Yosaku took a shuriken in the arm, but Johnny closed the gap and brought Silence down with a quick slash across the chest.

Zoro staggered out, dirty and battered, dragging Wild Joe by the scruff of his neck. He stared at his partners. “Where’d you guys go? I went up the hill like we planned and none of you were with me. Then that cliff showed up out nowhere.”

“Up isn’t north, Brother Zoro!”

* * *

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us, Sister Raserei?”

“That’s quite all right, Mr. Sunglasses. I trust you to bring me my share of the reward. I’ll go find a hotel with available rooms and meet you later.”

“Oh, good idea!” Johnny agreed. He joined Yosaku and Zoro as they escorted Silence and Wild Joe down the street to the Marine base. What was left of Gottkanone was dragged behind Zoro on a modified stretcher. The swordsman gave her a speculative look, but eventually shrugged and continued on.

(Yosaku kept one hand on Zoro’s arm to keep him from wandering away again.)

Robin watched them enter the base, stepping into the nearest alley. With a moment’s concentration, eyes bloomed on the walls of the base, scouting the layout and different buildings. Then they appeared in the high corners of rooms throughout the base. Robin immediately began assessing the strength of this base, and any security measures they had.

Satisfied there was nothing too difficult, she dissolved the eyes and went to find a hotel as promised. She would return tonight to check if there was any useful information in the base’s files.

* * *

“Alright, you pirates, what you’d do with all that gold you stole?” Johnny demanded.

The Excel Pirates didn’t seem to live up to their name. The battle had been laughably easy, to Zoro’s annoyance. To be fair, they were really more thieves than pirates, having only just received their bounties after hijacking a shipment of gold.

Robin would like to say it was a bit of brilliant investigative work to find the pirates’ secret headquarters in the sewers of the town of Opal. But really, these people were idiots.

“We told you, it’s in the back room!”

“Don’t lie to us!” Yosaku tried to glower menacingly. Robin doubted it was very effective. “We checked that room, and it’s empty!”

Judging by the marks in the dust, it hadn’t been empty long. There were signs someone dragged something heavy out of there not long before they arrived.

The pirates were shocked, then angry. “You’re lying! You stole the gold for yourselves!”

“How would we do that?” Zoro asked. “It’s just the four of us. You see any sacks of gold?”

The pirates mulled this over, glancing among each other and muttering. One of them stiffened, and his mouth hung slack. “That little thief. . .”

“Huh?”

“That girl! The one that just joined! She’s not here! She must have stolen the gold!”

The rest of the crew looked around, confirming the mysterious “girl” wasn’t among them, and began to grumble and curse.

Robin stood in the back of the room, letting the noise wash over her. She had seen the girl – and that’s what she was, even if her eyes carried weight that said they’d seen a lot – slipping out a back passage.

She saw the moment the girl, hauling a heavy sack, realized Robin had spotted her. It was impressive enough she even noticed Robin, given the chaos of the battle and the fact Robin stayed in the background, hood shrouding her face, let alone sensed her gaze. The girl’s eyes widened, and Robin saw the math going on behind them. Whether to abandon her prize, or fight for it.

Given the way her partners (especially Zoro) had been carving their way through the pirates, even considering fighting for the gold was a brave decision. Or a desperate one.

Rumors of the “Cat Burglar” that robbed pirates were common in the harbors and bars that were their quartet’s (no official name had yet been agreed upon) hunting grounds. This wasn’t even the first crew they’d captured whose hold was mysteriously devoid of treasure. Seeing the girl now, Robin suspected it was more than simple greed that drove her on.

She held the girl’s eyes for another moment, then very deliberately turned to look in another direction. She saw the cat burglar’s surprise and confusion. Then the determination returned and the girl was gone, gold in tow.

“I guess we’ll just have to turn them in without the gold,” Johnny decided.

“Too bad, the reward would have been a lot bigger if we found it,” Yosaku mused, as he nudged the pirates to get up and start walking.

“A missed opportunity, I suppose,” Robin said quietly as she turned to leave. 

They didn’t need the reward for returning the gold. The bounties for the pirates would be more than enough. 

Besides, the gold was tribute bound for the World Government. Robin figured whatever that girl wanted it for, better for her to have it than them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that was an extremely brief Nami cameo. She'll be back again, many, many chapter from now.
> 
> "Gottkanone" would be "God's Cannon" in German. Awful big ego for a shitty little OC I created just to fill out the roster.
> 
> Wild Joe was the name on a bounty poster in Lt. Fullbody's cabin in the episode where Luffy sees his first bounty, post-Arlong Park.


	10. Making Friends and Busting Heads (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin's continued travels as part of the Four Swords of Justice (for the last time Johnny, we're not calling ourselves that!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick programming note: Chapter 11 won't be posted until September 3rd. I've got an entirely unrelated one-shot I'm going to post on the 31st instead. Gotta get some of these ideas down on paper or they just sit inside me head. Then they rot, and it starts to stink in there, you know?

The cavern served as a masoleum, ancient. From where they stood at one end, their torchlight barely reached the center of the room.

There were sarcophagi, dozens, perhaps hundreds. Massive, slate-grey rectangles arranged in concentric circles. Centered around a single, immense throne, made of the same material. It sat empty, illuminated by an irregular green flickering that danced and bobbed in the air of the cavern.

“What are those, fireflies?” Zoro’s right hand rested on the hilt of his swords while the left held a torch. One of the green lights dipped close to his face, then away, but he hadn’t been able to see a bug, nor feel or hear its wingbeats.

“Perhaps. Or perhaps they’re spirits of the deceased,” Robin replied mysteriously, eyes eagerly roaming the paintings and inscriptions covering the nearest wall.

“Pfft, you’d think the dead would have better things to do than hang around here.”

Zoro was the only one who accompanied her inside. Johnny and Yosaku claimed they’d protect the entrance until they returned. Robin suspected they simply didn’t want to explore a crypt.

“This is the final resting place for several generations of warriors who served the royal family of the Zindt Kingdom. They lie in wait for their sovereign to return and call them to arms.”

“Like they’ll rise from the dead?” Fighting an army of dead people could be interesting, if their bodies didn’t just fall apart.

“Unclear. It’s more likely it relates to a fable where their souls fight alongside their king or queen in an eternal battle in the afterlife,” Robin continued around the edge of the room. Zoro, acting as her light source, followed patiently, eyes scanning in all directions. Something caught his attention.

“Stop for a second, Raserei.” 

Robin paused, glancing over her shoulder. The swordsman was staring intently at something across the room and held the torch out to her.

Following his gaze, she saw the green lights revealed a glimpse of something. Dark eyes, glowing red from the reflected light. A hint of silver fur shining, an ivory fang gleaming.

Robin moved towards it, light held before her, swordsman staying a half-step in front. Drawing closer, they found a statue of a massive wolf, glaring down as if ready to pounce. Every part of it made of some precious metal or gemstone. Beyond lay an open portal.

“Is this the guard, or their god, or what?”

“Given the things they made it from, probably a revered deity, quite possibly the White Fang. He determines whether a warrior has earned access to the afterlife, or if their soul is devoured.”

“You want to see what’s in there, don’t you?”

“Of course. Are you worried your spirit won’t measure up, Mr. Swordsman?”

“Tch. I just don’t want you getting eaten because the wolf isn’t impressed by books.”

* * *

“But I like my hair,” Johnny whined.

The sun beat down on _Pipit’s_ deck with surprising strength for late autumn. They had just finished dropping off a bounty they collected at the last island, and were enjoying a late lunch when Robin raised the issue of Johnny’s hair. Namely that he and Yosaku each reverted to the hairstyle they wore when she first met them. Which in Johnny’s case meant a spiky, multi-colored mohawk.

“I understand, Johnny, but our plan to ambush Golass failed because you were recognized. Your hair is very noticeable. I fear that will be a more common problem the longer things go on.”

“Let’s stop trying to ambush bounties then,” Zoro grumbled from his favorite napping spot against the railing. “I’d rather just fight them head on like we did that guy today all the time.”

Yosaku patted his friend on the shoulder. “Take it as a compliment, Johnny. If they recognized you, it means we’re building a rep!”

Johnny perked up slightly from his crestfallen state. “So, if I shaved my hair, it would be like a sacrifice to our pursuit of justice?”

Robin nodded, even if hearing the word “justice” made her grind her teeth. She reminded herself the bounties they collected truly were harming innocent people. She made sure of that in her research before guiding the others to them. “That is certainly a way of looking at it.”

Johnny rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then nodded once, sharply. “I’ll do it then! As long as Yosaku does it, too.”

Now Yosaku looked distraught, reaching up to stroke his blonde locks protectively. “What? Me? No one is recognizing _my_ hair.”

“But it’s a sacrifice to justice, Yosaku!” Johnny said, gripping his partner’s shoulders to force eye contact.

“I guess, if I do cut it, I won’t have to worry about losing by a hair ever again.” Yosaku’s face split in a goofy grin. Johnny and Zoro groaned, while Robin giggled. 

They turned back to face her. “Will you help us, Sister Raserei?”

“I’d be glad to. Let me get some scissors and a razor.”

As Robin stepped inside the cabin to look through the cabinet in the bathroom, she heard Yosaku muse, “You know, if we aren’t wanting to be recognized, Brother Zoro’s hair is extremely noticeable.”

“That’s right!” Johnny agreed. When Robin returned, she found the two of them watching the swordsman with expectant gazes. Zoro opened one eye to stare back at all three of them.

“Don’t even think about it.” He closed his eye again.

“You don’t have to cut it,” Yosaku tried. “Just stop dying it.”

Zoro sat up sharply, glaring now. “I don’t dye it!”

“Really? Is such hair common where you come from, Mister Roronoa?” Robin was actually curious. Zoro didn’t speak about himself any more than she did.

(Less actually, but what Robin told Johnny and Yosaku were lies.)

He eyed her suspiciously. “Is your hair common where _you_ come from?”

Johnny and Yosaku looked at him like he was an idiot. “Straight black hair is pretty common all over, Brother Zoro.”

The swordsman ducked his head briefly, embarrassed at the weak comeback. He recovered quickly, leaning back and closing his eyes firmly. Clearly the conversation was over.

Johnny wasn’t ready to give up. “But – “

Zoro’s thumb flicked his white katana loose from its sheath an inch or two, eyes still closed. Johnny and Yosaku each gulped nervously.

“Never mind.”

* * *

“Let’s go, Yosaku!”

“Right Johnny!”

The two bounty hunters rushed their opponent, Johnny leading, partner on his heels. Their target, “Smash n’ Bash” Cash, was yet another huge pirate, 8 feet tall, with a body shaped like a barrel. He carried a war hammer as tall as him, which he swung in a wide arc in front of him, intending to sweep the pair from his sight.

Johnny moved faster than Cash expected, just getting inside the swing, and raised his sword to block the handle. His blade rang like a bell and his arms trembled, but the blade halted, if only temporarily.

Temporarily was long enough for Yosaku to follow up, dash past Johnny and bring his sword in an arcing upward cut. Cash lurched back enough to avoid being bisected, but the cut still ran from his belt line halfway up his chest. It also split the larger man’s chin.

Yosaku’s attack left him vulnerable in mid-air, and Cash removed one hand from the hammer’s handle to grab Yosaku by the shirt, and slam him on top of Johnny.

“You little runts, trying to carve me up,” the pirate wheezed, tired. He seemed to know only how to take huge swings. Johnny and Yosaku did well avoiding them until they saw their opening. “I’ll smash you into jelly, and spread you on toast.”

“Not yet!” came the dual shout from within the cloud of dust.

Robin stood well back from the action. Next to her was Zoro, who agreed to stay out of it at the duo’s request. He finished off Cash’s crew easily already, and looked outwardly disinterested. But Robin saw his arms twitch at that last attack, itching to grab his swords and join in.

“Shouldn’t you help?”

His gaze never strayed from the scene. “Not unless they ask, or they’re unconscious. Partners have to trust each other, Raserei.” The way he said her name lately put her on edge. There was no hostility or mockery, but he had a way of making it sound even more fake than it was. It made her alias feel heavy, a weight pressing her down.

Cash raised the hammer over his head, then brought it down like a meteor. Two blurs, one green and one blue, rolled out of the way to either side. The hammer impacted solidly, deck splintering, shockwave carrying to where Robin and Zoro stood. Johnny and Yosaku came out of their rolls just behind Cash’s legs, each of them slashing through the backs of his knees.

Legs no longer supporting him, Cash fell forward such that the pommel of his hammer lanced into the open cut Yosaku had given him. The scream that emerged initially cut off with a pained moan, then was silenced entirely as he was struck on the back of the skull with the hilts of their swords. Johnny gave the unconscious man a nudge so he’d fall to one side before he was impaled by his own weapon.

“Ha, ha, we won!” Johnny shouted, triumph ringing in his voice. Yosaku joined him, and the two began their dancing.

For a whole three seconds before they fell over from their injuries.

* * *

“What’s bothering you, Mister Roronoa?”

The capture of their latest bounty had gone smoothly. Robin’s information led them to the perfect place to trap the bandit, "Cross Butcher" Andersen, and his entire gang was taken without a single injury among the hunters.

But while Johnny and Yosaku celebrated another victory, Zoro sat against a wall, holding his sword in one hand, frowning as he studied it intently.

He glanced up at her. “What?”

“I asked what’s troubling you. Is your sword damaged?”

He shook his head. “No. I’ll need to sharpen it, but that’s all.”

“Then why do you seem so down? I know it wasn’t much of a battle, but. . .”

“That’s just it.” His frown deepened.

“You’re disappointed in your opponent?”

“In myself. I misjudged his strength. Thought he was stronger than he was. The attack wasn’t supposed to kill him.”

Robin couldn’t help being surprised. Or perhaps she was just too used to death to be bothered by it. “You’ve taken lives before, though.” Not often during their partnership, but occasionally. Certainly before then. He couldn’t have earned such a fearsome reputation without doing so.

He sheathed the blade and turned his full attention to her. “Sure, when I needed to. If the opponent is that strong, or the situation’s desperate. But that guy wasn’t that much of a threat.”

He stared at his hand, flexing it experimentally. “A swordsman needs control, of their blade and themselves. I don’t like beating up on weak opponents, or killing needlessly.”

He rose smoothly from his seat and wandered away.

“Where are you going?”

“To train.”

* * *

“You aren’t going in the water?” Zoro watched Raserei startled at his sudden arrival, then try to hide it as she glanced at him warily.

They’d anchored in the lagoon of a small island she wanted to explore. He was pretty sure they didn’t find what she was looking for (whatever that was). Johnny and Yosaku suggested they spend a day relaxing in the clear waters beneath the shady palms. Zoro spent some time in the forest practicing first, but decided taking time for fun wouldn’t be so bad. 

It took a while to find the beach again. (How could a beach move? Did that mean the entire ocean was moving, too?) When he did find it, Johnny and Yosaku were splashing in the water like kids, while the archaeologist sat in the shade on a big rock, reading.

Zoro made his way over. He’d been working on moving more quietly. Swordsmanship taught him about having a firm stance, while also being nimble and reactive, but not necessarily silent. Raserei seemed to be an expert on moving undetected, so he’d begun trying to copy her movements.

Judging by her surprised (and spooked) expression, he hadn’t done too bad. “What did you say, Mister Roronoa?”

“I asked if you were going to hop in.”

Polite smile and shake of the head. “No, thank you. I’m quite happy with my book.”

Zoro shrugged. She did like books, that was for sure. But the wary, nervous look always lurking behind her eyes got stronger. “I can teach you to swim if that’s the problem.”

“I know how to swim, Mister Swordsman. I’m simply not interested in doing so at the moment.”

(Technically, both these statements were true. Robin did understand how one swam, _and_ she wasn’t interested in doing so at this time. Zoro didn’t have to know she could not swim, that she would sink instantly if she entered the water.)

“OK,” he said indifferently, pulling his shirt over his head. He noticed her watching closely as he did, but brushed it off. “Kind of dangerous to spend so much time on the ocean if you don’t know how to swim. But as long as you can tread water long enough for one of us to get to you, it’s fine.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” she assured him. Something about how she said it bothered him.

He wouldn’t press her on it. Yet. Stepping out of his dark pants, he set his swords on the rock next to her.

“Watch over those for me?” When she nodded, he took several steps back, then sprinted to the edge of the rock, leaping into the air.

**“Zero Sword Style: Dragon Water Bomb!”**

Johnny and Yosaku shrieked in terror as Zoro’s cannonball swamped both of them. He heard her laughing as he broke the surface, sound ringing pleasantly in his ears above the other two’s spluttering. 

* * *

“Mister Swordsman, we have to retreat!”

He shook his head stubbornly, refusing to look at her. “I can handle them!”

The “them” in question was a gang of at least a hundred. The plan had been to catch the leader alone, as they had with others in the past. Robin found an old, almost overgrown hunting trail that let them approach from the rear of the camp. Then she carefully led them past the sentries to the leader’s hut, staying within the shadows of the flickering torches that lit the hollow. 

But El Gato showed higher awareness than most of their targets, avoiding the Yosaku’s sneak attack long enough to wound him, and raise the alarm. When Johnny rushed in recklessly to help his friend, he was struck from behind by another bandit’s spear.

Now the entire gang was bearing down on them, Zoro was preparing to try and fight them all, and Robin was trying unsuccessfully to get their injured partners on their feet. Zoro had, as usual, opposed the sneaking approach, insisting they should just go in through the front and fight their way to El Gato. He was outvoted, 3-to-1, but hadn’t hidden his displeasure.

 _“Mister Swordsman!”_ Anxiety rushed through Robin's veins. Johnny was on his feet, barely, but she would have to carry Yosaku. She needed Zoro if they were going to get away without her revealing her powers.

(Later, she’d wonder why the thought of simply abandoning them never entered her mind. She wouldn’t sleep that night, mind whirling at whether this was a good development or not.)

“Just leave, woman!” Zoro was handling the nearest bandits easily enough, but she saw flickers of movement to the right. More bandits trying to cut off their retreat. Still others were taking rifles to the high ground. 

She tried again. “You won’t reach El Gato. You can’t guarantee their safety this way, and you know it.”

A dozen bandits surged towards Zoro, death in their eyes. With a pained snarl, he spun in midair, blades swirling around him. The bandits flew back, screaming. Even before he landed, his blades were sheathed. 

“Help Johnny,” he snapped as he grabbed Yosaku with one hand, and threw him over his shoulder. They took off, Robin matching him stride-for-stride.

The frustration rolled off him, like a pressure wave. She remained silent the entire mad dash through the dark woods to the sea, and their boat.

* * *

“You can get some sleep, you know.”

Robin looked up blearily from the helm. Zoro sat at the stern, watching the seas. Johnny and Yosaku were tucked on the benches in the kitchen, injuries bandaged, sleeping soundly.

“Pardon?” Those were his first words since they reached _Pipit_. He helped her treat the other two bounty hunters’ wounds, but silently. Handing over items as requested. It had only been after that she noticed a red stain, almost black in the dim light, spreading on the back of Zoro’s shirt.

A bullet lodged in his shoulder. He hadn’t mentioned it, said nothing when she told him to sit and let her remove it. He complied, but was clearly unhappy about receiving a wound because he retreated. After she finished, he took his current position, eyes sweeping their surroundings in the dim starlight.

“I said,” he repeated, “you should get some sleep. You’re tired.”

“I don’t think it would be wise to let you take over steering the boat, Mister Swordsman,” she said with the best attempt at a teasing she could manage. She was tired, after their frantic escape. Being pursued by a large crowd with murder on their minds brought back unpleasant memories.

“Then we’ll pull in the sails and drift for the night. And what are you trying to say? I can steer a boat just fine!”

“Certainly, if we aren’t concerned with where we’re going,” she enjoyed seeing the little tic that appeared on his forehead.

“I can watch keep watch on my own for the night, Raserei. I’ll keep Johnny and Yosaku safe.”

She heard the unspoken, _“and you.”_ Rest would be nice, she reflected. Finding El Gato’s lair hadn’t taken long, but finding that path took a few days of hiking through the woods, then back to town each evening to report her findings. She hadn’t slept much lately, even by her standards. 

She suspected that wasn’t why he was so interested in her going to sleep. It was the first time they failed to capture their quarry on the first try, and their other two partners were both injured.

_‘I imagine retreating hurt his pride.’_

“Zoro, if you will promise not to try and steer the boat, I will retire for the night.” She made her way down to the main deck. “I’m afraid otherwise I simply wouldn’t be able to sleep for fear where we might end up.”

This close, under the increasing moonlight, his deepening scowl made him look like a monster from a children’s story. He didn’t seem in the mood for jokes. “I won’t touch the damn wheel,” he snapped. “Just get some fucking sleep already, woman!”

Robin didn’t flinch. She’d seen worse, and guessed he was probably angrier with himself. “Very well. Good night, Mr. Swordsman.” With that, she made her way into the cabin, locking the door and not even bothering to undress before crawling under her blanket.

Zoro watched her go in surprise. _‘Didn’t think she’d actually listen. She never seems to really sleep, like we’re gonna slit her throat.’_

When they used hotels, Raserei usually took a room alone, and the three men shared another. Zoro didn’t care. He could sleep in a chair, or on the floor. Traveling on his own, stuck in the moving forests that seemed to be on every island, he slept on the ground plenty of times. But he suspected the archaeologist had reasons for wanting her own room.

The young man gritted his teeth at the thought of someone being pushed to the point they feared to sleep around anyone, before putting it out of his mind. He took a seat on the bridge near the wheel – not touching it, he gave his word – so he could see in all directions.

_‘I wonder when she’ll tell me what she finds so interesting about Marine bases she has to sneak in at night?’_

That she hid things was obvious to Zoro. He was sure “Gespenst Raserei” was a fake name, for one. He just wasn’t sure what she was hiding, or why. Her interest in history seemed real, but beyond that. . .

He kept a careful eye on her, just in case, which he knew she was aware of, but he tried to trust her. After all, she hadn’t done anything to make him think she’d betray him, Yosaku, or Johnny. He wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.

But her being so uneasy around him was really starting to get on his nerves.

 _‘You just yelled at her, I wonder why she’s uneasy.’_ Zoro snarled at the voice in his head and sat up a little straighter, resuming his watch as they floated gently with the currents.

* * *

“Brother Zoro, Sister Raserei, it’s been good working with you, but it’s time for Yosaku and I to go our own way,” Johnny began as they reached a new island.

“Really? Why is that?” Robin pretended to be surprised. She overheard their whispered conversations in the early morning hours, but decided to let them explain it themselves.

“Well, Johnny and I think the time we’re spending looking at these ancient sites is taking away from our bounty hunting,” Yosaku answered. “But we know how important that work is to you, Sister Raserei, and it’s not something you’d give up.” 

Robin turned to Zoro, leaned on the railing. “Will you be joining them, Mr. Swordsman?”

The emerald-haired man shook his head. “I’ll stick with you, if you’re up for it.”

“We figured as much,” Yosaku said. He looked sad, but as he hadn’t fallen into a state of hopeless despair, was taking it pretty well. 

“Brother Zoro has always been in bounty hunting for different reasons than us, so it makes sense his path would diverge from ours,” Johnny pushed his sunglasses up to more completely cover his eyes, which Robin noticed were looking a bit wet. “Besides, Yosaku and I think we’ve taught you enough that you’ll be fine without us.”

“We will do our best not to disappoint you,” Robin answered, seriously as possible. Although she was glad to see them leave before they inevitably betrayed her and had to die (or were killed because of their proximity to her) she was going to miss them.

“Don’t get yourselves killed out there.” Zoro’s tone was gruff, but couldn’t hide real warmth. He clapped them both on the shoulder. The two pulled him into a hug, sobbing openly on him. The swordsman didn’t look comfortable at all, but didn’t push them away.

Once they released Zoro, it was Robin’s turn. She had to resist the urge to pull away, and just barely kept her entire body from tensing at the initial contact, but gradually relaxed. If they sensed her discomfort they didn’t mention it, but she noted they at least tried not to get tears and snot on her clothes. She patted them both gently on the back until they were ready to step back.

“No, no need to worry,” Johnny sniffed. “When you next hear about us, it’ll be because we’re recognized as the greatest bounty hunters in the East Blue!”

Robin waved farewell as the two marched off into town together. She pointedly ignored the lump in her throat. Zoro stood next to her, stoically, but there was a softness in his eyes that betrayed his fondness for their now-former partners. He turned to her.

“Well, Miss Archaeologist, where to now?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So long, Johnny and Yosaku. You were fun, but I didn't have anything more substantial for you in the plot, so for now, time to shuffle off to Buffalo.
> 
> One thing I wanted to try and convey there near the end of the chapter, Zoro does know Robin's not being entirely honest with them, but is still willing to trust her. Unlike in canon, this Robin hasn't been his enemy, she's just a lady that doesn't like to talk about her past, and Zoro can't exactly criticize someone else for that.


	11. Information, Offered and Withheld

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin finds a clue, and learns something important about Zoro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back. Bit of a short chapter today, but it's gonna put a few key things in motion for the next several chapters.

Robin and Zoro roamed the remains of the castle where it sat, nestled in the hills of Santa Crista Island. It was a frankly miserable early spring day. Cool enough their breath was visible as they searched. Rain fell steadily, as it had for hours. Even with the ponchos Robin purchased for them (as Zoro was unfamiliar with the concept of dressing for the weather), they were soaked. The rain drummed steadily on their heads through the hoods and sluiced down to their boots. The roof of the castle was long rotted away, so despite their being technically inside, it wasn’t providing any actual protection from the elements.

“What about that tunnel over there?” Robin turned to where the swordsman pointed. It was the first time he’d spoken in an hour. Until then, he’d walked silently beside her, watching their surroundings while she explored.

The long silences were the biggest change after Johnny and Yosaku left. Not that Zoro talked much before, but Robin thought perhaps he simply left that to his two compatriots. In their absence, he continued to be largely silent. Most of his time on _Pipit_ was spent either sleeping or training, and occasionally fishing, while Robin steered, read, or watched the ocean. 

It wasn’t uncomfortable silence. The sounds of his soft snoring, or of his swords and weights moving steadily through the air was actually fairly soothing. Robin had worried there would be tension without the others to lighten the mood, but Zoro seemed relaxed around her. As much as he ever relaxed, at least. He simply didn’t feel a need to fill the silence. She suspected the swordsman was also used to being alone.

Robin approached the entrance of the passageway. There were words carved in an arc above it. A warning, written in a script clearly derived from the language of the Ancients. Robin’s pulse quickened, but her voice showed none of it. 

“Yes, this could be promising. Good eyes, Mr. Swordsman.”

Robin fought against rising hope. She reminded herself this wouldn’t be the first false lead she encountered, or even the tenth. Eventually, one of them had to bear fruit.

The path continued into the depths of the castle. Turning a corner, they found a skeleton on the ground a few steps ahead of them. All its clothes were deteriorated, only faint scraps that fell to pieces at the slightest touch. Suggesting the person had been dead a very long time. Whatever killed them was not readily apparent.

“You figure there’s a trap of some kind?” Zoro asked, eyes scanning ahead. “Or maybe this guy had friends who turned on him.”

Zoro didn’t miss how her blue eyes snapped from the dead person to his face when he mentioned that. He tried to redirect things. “Maybe a wild animal got him. Or he had a weak heart.”

The historian’s eyes still watched him closely for another moment before she responded. “A trap seems likely. All those holes in the walls are quite suspicious.”

“You figure there’s a way to turn it off at the other end?”

“Most likely, but we’ll have to go outside and find anoth-“ Robin’s statement died in her throat as the swordsman drew all three of his blades and charged into the passage.

Robin stepped back around the corner as arrows erupted from the walls on both sides. Zoro barreled through, swinging his blades at a dizzying speed, twisting his head now and then to deflect one that slipped by with his gleaming white katana.

To Robin’s surprise, he reached the other end, disappearing through a doorway. After a half-minute, he called to her. “I found a lever, Raserei! Should I pull it?”

She called back, “Yes, but be careful. It may be another trap.” She heard something fall into place in the walls, but couldn’t tell what that meant. The mechanism that launched the arrows may have been reloaded 

Zoro stepped back into view. “Hold on, let me check.” Blades ready, he stepped boldly back into the passage. No arrows. “Looks like it’s safe. Come on.”

Robin approached swiftly, and noticed he hadn’t escaped unscathed. Blood trickled from cuts on his cheek and chest, and one arrow lodged in his right shoulder. “That was rather foolish, Mr. Swordsman.”

“It’s good practice,” he grunted, reaching for the arrow. He paused when her hand landed on his. She felt him jerk almost imperceptibly under her touch.

“It would be better if you let me. You’ll be less likely to tear the muscles that way.” He shrugged, as if that didn’t concern him, but acquiesced.

As Robin patched that wound and the other cuts, she watched him carefully. The swordsman wasn’t looking at her. Instead, he continued to watch their surroundings.

That was another difference. Johnny and Yosaku were never been entirely on-board with tagging along on her explorations of ruins. They weren’t rude about it, but she could tell they didn’t see the point. Not that the man sitting here was much different, Zoro only rarely showed any interest in the things she inspected. 

But he was much more focused than the other two on the task at hand. He did whatever she asked of him, went where directed, and mostly left her to study. Robin was quite impressed with how seriously he took what he saw as his responsibilities in their partnership. He was quite mature in that regard, though Robin wasn’t certain of his age. Close to hers, she guessed.

Although there were times like now, when he charged headlong into danger more like a reckless teenager convinced of his immortality. Robin couldn’t quite understand him. He spoke of seeing these trips as a good challenge, but she didn’t know what that meant. 

She was reluctant to ask. The few times she asked personal questions, Zoro wanted the same information, and she wasn’t ready to provide it. She could lie, but Robin had the impression he saw through her lies. Not enough to know the truth, but enough to know what she said wasn’t it. He never called her on it, though, and she eventually stopped asking. Perhaps it was just paranoia.

(There were people after her, but that didn’t mean Zoro was one of them. It also didn’t mean he wasn’t, or wouldn’t become one eventually.)

Robin put that thought aside for now, to focus on exploring.

* * *

The passage continued, but without any more traps. It ended in what had probably been a library or archive once. A crack in the ceiling let the grey light of the overcast sky in, as well as a steady trickle of rain. This exposure to the elements had hastened the demise of the books and scrolls stored, as the first one Robin touched crumbled. Even the wood shelves were warped and rotted, dumping their contents on the damp stone floor like some mockery of their intended purpose.

Robin sighed in dejection as her eyes roamed over piles of ruined texts. Whatever they might hold was lost to her. Another dead end.

“Raserei, there’s some writing on this wall here. It looks kinda like the squiggles over the entrance to the tunnel.”

Robin followed the swordsman’s voice, not holding much hope. The swordsman wasn’t illiterate – he sometimes read the newspaper after she was done with it – but she highly doubted he was an expert on linguistics.

She found him standing before an unusual section of wall. Unusual because it was clearly made of a different substance from the wall around it. A substance that withstood the elements more successfully. And the writing on it was similar to that above the tunnel. Because it was in the language that the language of the warning was derived from.

_‘’Neath ivory waves, the Kings watch over the Ancients’ Secrets.’_

Zoro waited as his partner’s eyes went over the inscription again and again. At first, he thought she couldn’t read it, although he’d yet to see something she couldn’t decipher (Yosaku’s handwriting came close.) The look on her face went from one of defeat to shock and eventually, joy. He’d never seen the woman so happy, even if she did try to mask it quickly.

“Is it saying there’s more books hidden behind it? Should I cut the stone in half?”

“ **No!** ” Zoro stepped back, startled by the force of her response. Robin calmed herself. “No, Zoro, that won’t be necessary. It’s not about books, but it is a good find.”

“OK,” he replied slowly, “That’s good. Should we look for more writing on the walls?”

Robin doubted there would be another clue, but it couldn’t hurt to check. Her initial suspicion was correct, so shortly after that, they returned to the entrance of the tunnel.

“Still raining,” Zoro observed, “and it’s getting late. Camp here for the night?” 

* * *

The two sat around a small fire, eating dinner. Zoro drinking from a sake bottle while cleaning his swords, while Robin ate her fish slowly, lost in thought.

(She’d been surprised to learn Zoro was quite good at cooking fish over an open fire, although his culinary abilities didn’t extend far beyond that.)

Not making any progress in deciphering the message, she decided to take a break. Her gaze landed on the gleaming sword in her partner’s hands.

“You take excellent care of it.”

Zoro looked up from his work. “Of course. A sword should be an extension of yourself, so treat it like you would a part of your own body.”

She nodded, even as she noted he took better care of the sword than himself, given his indifference to injury. “Especially one so rare and valuable as the Wado Ichimonji.”

The swordsman brow crinkled in confusion. “What’s that?”

Robin was briefly thrown by his response. “The sword you’re holding. I found a picture of it in a book of famous blades. It’s one of the 21 Great Grade swords, the Wado Ichimonji.”

The swordsman glanced at the sword in his hand briefly. “Oh. I already knew it was a high-quality sword. That’s not why it’s important to me.”

And now Robin’s curiosity was piqued. Ignoring that her past attempts to investigate Zoro’s history ended poorly, she asked, “Really? What is the sword’s value to you then, Mister Roronoa?”

Zoro watched her silently, considering. It went on long enough Robin wondered if she’d overstepped and was preparing to apologize when he answered. “It’s a bond I share. Of a dream, and a promise.”

Not as informative as she hoped, but still more than Robin usually got from him. She hesitated, weighing her next move. “Zoro, what is it you’re after?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you helping me? You made a name for yourself as a bounty hunter before we ever met. You’re The Pirate Hunter, but you take time away from that to wander ruins with me.”

Zoro sighed, leaning back on his palms. “I only became a bounty hunter because I was hungry, and because I want to become stronger. I don’t even like that stupid title. We spend more time fighting bandits than pirates, anyway.”

“Yes, you said you thought this could be a challenge, but what are you looking for? Not simply thrills, I assume?” Despite his reckless behavior, Robin couldn’t imagine someone would work as hard as he did if all he was after was an adrenaline rush.

Zoro sat up straight and faced her properly, lending an air of gravity to whatever he was about to say. Robin found herself leaning forward, eager to hear. 

“I’m going to become the world’s greatest swordsman. That’s the dream and promise I carry.”

She could honestly say she hadn’t expected that. “You think accompanying me on these journeys will help you achieve that?”

“You told me you fought giant bugs and faced lots of traps. Those are different opponents from what I face chasing bounties. The more I face, the stronger I should get.”

Robin nodded, even as she considered how unlikely he was to succeed. She was certain Zoro had never been outside the East Blue. He had no idea of the powers that existed around the world. 

But she wouldn’t dismiss him entirely. She knew it was just as unlikely she would achieve her goal.

“Thank you for sharing that with me, Zoro.”

* * *

It was still raining. Robin was reading quietly. Zoro, finished cleaning his swords, was sprawled out on the floor, drinking his sake occasionally and staring out into the night.

He took a drink, then set the bottle on the stone floor with a solid “clink”, “Raserei, what was so special about what you found today?”

It was her turn to watch him carefully. “Why do you ask?”

He propped himself with one elbow and turned his head towards her. “I’ve never seen you get that excited at any of the other places we visited. Is it something you’ve been looking for?”

Robin was instantly wary at the swordsman’s question. Did he suspect something? He couldn’t possibly know about Poneglyphs, could he?

She shook her head, smiling gently. “Nothing like that, Zoro. It’s just, that particular language is rather old, it’s rare to find any traces of it. Even a brief sentence is an unusual find. I hadn’t thanked you yet for finding it.”

Zoro watched her for a few seconds, as though waiting. When she didn’t add anything further, he laid back down, now staring at the ceiling.

“It’s no big deal,” he said. “It looked like the writing up there you were interested in,” he raised one leg lazily to point at the warning on the archway above them, “so I figured it might be important.”

Watching him, Robin couldn’t help feeling she’d failed some sort of test.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, Robin found a clue! A clue written in a poor attempt at some sort of old style, poetic verse, by someone with no gift for it.
> 
> I figure Robin and Zoro are both a little touch-starved. I don't figure either of them are the type to initiate hugs or physical contact readily, especially given Robin's trust issues. It's probably only gotten worse without Johnny and Yosaku, who strike me as the types to do a lot of high-fives and pats on the back, probably spontaneous hugs (especially when they're drunk).


	12. Rematch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro take another crack at the bounty that got away. Unfortunately, cracks are starting to form in their partnership.

“Are you quite set on this course of action, Zoro?” Robin already knew he was, from his determined stride and the grim line of his jaw, but didn’t see the harm in asking.

“Yes, Raserei,” the swordsman replied in an exasperated tone, “I’m sure. I’ll get El Gato this time, my way.”

The two of them moved steadily along the main path to the bandit’s encampment. They had agreed to stick to the same schedule as when there were four of them. Alternate between following leads the historian had on ruins, and following leads on bounties. It kept their cash reserves from getting too low.

After their exploration of the old castle, Zoro insisted on going after El Gato again. Fortunately, the bandit hadn't moved his base of operations. He was apparently confident no one else would try to attack him directly after their earlier failed attempt.

The pair of hunters paused at the rim of the hollow, the encampment sprawled out beneath them. Zoro drew his blades. “Stay here, Miss Archaeologist. I don’t want you catching a stray bullet, and then I have to retreat again to get you patched up.”

“You could always leave to me bleed out while you fought, Mr. Swordsman,” Robin responded with a trace of humor. She didn’t plan on getting involved.

Whereas the searches of ancient sites were proceeding as smoothly as before, bounty hunting became more tense after Johnny and Yosaku left, even if they weren’t any less successful as a duo. The issue being, Zoro wanted to approach every bounty directly, regardless of terrain or the odds. This wasn’t new, but before there had been Johnny and Yosaku to side with Robin and outvote him in favor of more strategic approaches. 

Now it was one versus one, and the swordsman declared that if he was following her orders when it came to searching ancient sites, then how they captured bounties was his call.

The man’s grey eyes snapped to catch her blue orbs. He held the stare, then sighed. “You were right that we needed to get Johnny and Yosaku out of here last time. I’m not going to let my partners get killed, and that includes you. Just keep your head down, and it won’t be an issue, OK?”

She smiled without meaning to, surprised by the swordsman again. “I understand, Zoro, but I believe they’ve noticed us,” she gestured to the camp, where alarmed shouts could be heard and some of the bandits were rushing towards them, “so you had better get started.”

Even with his white katana clenched between his teeth, the swordsman’s anticipatory smile shone. “My pleasure.” He charged forward, arms crossed over his chest. **“Demon Cutter!”**

* * *

The first five bandits fell before his attack, but more took their place, swinging swords, clubs, and axes. Zoro blocked three weapons with the blade in his left hand, and another club with Kuina’s sword. This left his right hand free to sweep in an upward arc from his side across the space in front of him. It cut through the thigh of the first bandit, and each successive enemy was cut a bit higher, until the last victim dropped his axe as it tore through his shoulder.

The forest echoed with the sound of combat as Zoro made his way deeper into the camp. He would charge ahead, and more bandits would leap out at him. Sometimes they met him head on. Other times they tried to surround him, attacking from all angles at once, like at this moment.

It wasn’t a bad idea, if they’d been more skilled. As it was, Zoro blocked all their attacks with his three swords, as they were slow enough it was barely a challenge. 

“Come on, he’s just one man,” one of the bandits yelled. “Bear down on him!” The man put more force behind his sword, but he might as well have been trying to move a mountain for all the luck he had.

As Zoro prepared to scatter them, he felt a sharp pain in his back. “I got him, I got him!”

The bounty hunter twisted his head to see two of the bandits behind him had parted enough to allow a third to dash between them and put a dagger in his back.

 _‘Damnit, I got cocky.’_

He could almost hear the historian chiding again him for lack of awareness. The man who stabbed him scooted backwards as the Pirate Hunter’s anger fell upon him. Which meant the bandit didn’t enlarge the wound or create another, giving Zoro a chance to push back the attackers encircling him. They all stumbled away, and before they could recover, Zoro cut them down.

He reached behind him and wrenched the dagger out, glaring at it like a venomous snake that bit him for no reason, before throwing it aside in disgust. He could feel blood leaking from the wound, soaking his shirt and haramaki. He would have paused to do a quick patch, but more bandits rushed to attack. As they came into view, he noticed they looked more confident than the ones he’d faced before.

_‘They realize I’m wounded.’_

“If you think I’m easy prey, then come on,” he snarled and moved to meet them. **“Bull Charge!”**

* * *

Robin watched the progress of the battle from behind a tree. Even if the bandits had noticed, Zoro was too immediate a threat for any of them to attack her. Mister Swordsman was cutting an impressive swath through El Gato’s men, but now he’d been wounded. Still, she didn’t think these men would be able to defeat her partner in melee combat.

Unfortunately, they didn’t intend to try. Robin saw men climbing lookout towers, rifles slung over their shoulders. (The fact those towers hadn’t been manned already was another testament to El Gato’s arrogance. If they had been, she and Zoro wouldn’t have gotten as close as they did while walking down the main trail before being spotted.)

Robin moved backwards, beneath the rim of the hollow, making her way to the far side unobserved. She used trees for cover as she crept closer to the towers, but it was clear the snipers were looking the other way, all their attention on Zoro. She could hear Zoro yelling the names of his attacks and his foes crying out in pain as the attacks struck home.

She hadn’t heard gunfire yet, meaning they couldn’t get a clear shot. She reached the back of the nearest tower, checking to make sure there were no stragglers hanging back where it was safe. There weren’t, so either El Gato’s men were confident they could win, or dedicated enough not to care.

As she climbed the joists and beams, she heard a shot from one of the other towers. It didn’t strike near her, nor did she hear a cry of pain from Zoro or one of victory from the bandits. It must have missed. She continued climbing.

Reaching the top, she found the bandit inside crouched, muttering in agitation. “Just hold still a second, ya filthy bounty hunter. I’ll blow that stupid green wig right off.”

“That would be rather difficult as it’s not a wig. Not that I can allow it either way.”

The bandit turned in shock to find a tall woman, her face and figure obscured by a dull cloak and hood behind him. She took the rifle from his hands as easily as he would have taken candy from a baby. While he tried to process that, she spun the rifle in her hand and drove the butt of it into his temple. He collapsed like a sack of potatoes.

Robin stepped over the unconscious bandit indifferently and surveyed the battle. Zoro was still tearing through the camp like a hurricane. Even as she watched, he swung the two blades he held in his hands together and sent another four enemies flying away from him and through a nearby tent. The tent collapsed, and after a few seconds the faint struggles ceased, settling like a shroud over them.

Focusing on the task at hand, she checked the other tower. There was only a single man with a rifle stationed in it. Robin knelt and raised the weapon in her hand. Rifles weren’t her favorite weapon, but she knew how to use them. The biggest question was if this weapon had been maintained and sighted properly.

She aimed for the torso, but the bullet struck the bandit in his upper arm. It was enough he dropped his weapon as he screamed. She ducked out of sight, listening for anyone to raise the alarm that one of their shooters had turned against them. All she heard was the fighting between Zoro and the other bandits, so she quietly descended from the tower the way she’d climbed it.

As her boots touched ground, she heard a low growl behind her. _‘How troublesome.’_

* * *

Zoro wouldn’t admit it if asked, but he was getting tired. Not that these bandits were strong, but there were a lot of them, and none of them were El Gato. How many weaklings was this guy going to hide behind?

At least the snipers in the towers hadn’t taken any shots at him in the last few minutes. The first shot almost got him, but once he spotted them, Zoro had been able to keep some of the bandits attacking between him and the shooters. Not that that guaranteed anything with bandits or pirates, but it seemed like this group was tightly knit enough not to shoot each other just to get him. 

Even so, his vision was starting to swim, probably from blood loss. Or maybe from the club that clipped him across the head a few minutes ago. He couldn’t stop though, as four men with one-handed axes charged together. Bringing his focus to them and blocking out his pain and fatigue, Zoro rushed forward meeting their attack with his own. Their ax heads went flying as he cut through the handles, then through their owners.

He glanced back briefly to confirm they were done, but caught the flash of sunlight against metal in the corner of his eye. He snapped back and raised one sword, deflecting a massive knife.

“Quite impressive, Mister Pirate Hunter.” El Gato stood before him in snakeskin boots, pair of worn jeans, and a weathered black leather jacket. A red bandana hung from around his neck, and his arrogant grin was framed by a thin mustache that sprayed out in all directions, stark against the deeply tanned face. Each hand held one of the oversized knives.

“Maybe you’re just slow,” Zoro retorted. “The guy that stabbed me in the back with the dagger was faster than you.”

“I’m sorry I disappoint you so,” the bandit leader replied, appearing deeply apologetic. “I see you didn’t bring your friends. Were they killed by some other bounty? Or perhaps you killed them yourself, for interfering with your fun? That would not be out of the question for a man of your. . . _unforgiving_ reputation.”

Zoro wondered what the hell kind of stories were going around about him. He hadn’t killed that many people since he started bounty hunting. Mostly because very few of the bounties had been strong enough to require it. 

He didn’t say that. It wasn’t this idiot’s business. El Gato drew his own conclusions from Zoro’s silence. “You are very focused, I see? Your only interest in capturing El Gato? I must again disappoint you, but perhaps you will not mind?” The bandit circled slowly as he chatted. Zoro stood his ground, only his eyes moving.

“Do you know why I am called El Gato?”

“Because the best mustache you can grow looks like whiskers?”

The man’s eyes narrowed, hostility radiating as he bared his teeth. The moment passed, and he was all false cheer and hospitality. “Ah, a fine jest, but no. I am called El Gato because of my two pets. A pair of fierce tigers I captured on a little island called Dawn.”

(Actually, he paid Dadan dearly to retrieve a pair of tiger cubs, after losing 8 men on his first and only attempt to get some himself.)

“No one has been foolish enough to try to capture me since you last failure. They haven’t been fed in some time.” He shook his head as if this was a very unfortunate circumstance. 

“Killer! Shredder! Come get your dinner!” He whistled and then waited, grinning triumphantly. 

Zoro raised his swords in anticipation. Nothing happened. Confused and annoyed, El Gato called again. Still, his pets did not appear. Finally, he grew annoyed enough to turn his back on Zoro entirely and scream, “Where are you stupid cats!?”

“That is certainly no way to act, Mister Gato,” answered a calm, feminine voice in a mocking tone. “Certainly not if you expect a feline to do as you desire.”

Robin stepped from the maze of tents, a tiger on either side of her. Though clearly underfed, each cat dwarfed her, yet they walked docilely. Robin paused at the edge of the clearing, scratching each cat behind the ears, to their evident enjoyment.

“You don’t take very good care of your pets, Mister Gato,” she continued, voice growing colder with every word. “It’s fortunate I found a large supply of raw meat for them in your storehouse.” She scratched the tiger on her left under the chin. It purred as it lowered its head to rub against her.

“Killer, Shredder, what are you doing?” El Gato screamed, panic setting in. “I am your master, she is an intruder, rip her limb from limb!” The tigers lifted their heads to glare at him. Each bared their teeth and roared impressively. The bandit backpedaled until he bumped against something solid. He turned to find Zoro watching him impatiently.

“Are we going to fight, or what?”

Caught between the Pirate Hunter and this damnable woman who bewitched his tigers, El Gato chose the smartest course of action. He dropped both of his knives, and sank to his knees.

“I surrender.”

* * *

“I thought I told you to stay out of it, Raserei.”

The two bounty hunters were on their way back to town. El Gato bound, gagged and slung over Zoro’s shoulder. Having surrendered, he seemed to have quietly accepted his fate. 

“I did not interfere in your fight, Mr. Roronoa. You weren’t fighting the snipers or the two tigers.”

The swordsman scowled at her. He should have realized the snipers stopping was her doing, too. “I was doing fine. I didn’t need your help.”

“The wound in your back and bruise over your eye say differently.”

“These are nothing. You were supposed to hang back so you didn’t get hurt. You agreed to let me handle the fight.”

“Technically, Zoro, I only said I understood your desire I not get injured, so you would not be forced to retreat. I never agreed to remain uninvolved. You might notice I am not the one whose clothes are stained with their own blood.” Her eyes dropped to the large red patch on Zoro’s side, and stayed there for a beat, before rising to meet his with a pointed look.

If Raserei thought calmly pointing out facts would settle Zoro, she wasn’t as clever as she thought. Zoro did not appreciate people thinking he needed help to win his battles, no matter how many enemies he faced. He wasn’t going to have any help when he faced Mihawk to claim his title, so there was no point in getting help now. 

The intensity of his glare increased and he turned to face her fully. “When we made this partnership, we agreed you’d find our targets, and I’d catch them. If you think I’m not strong enough to handle my half, Raserei, just say so.”

Robin hadn’t expected the partnership to start falling apart this way. Typically, the crews she worked with grew angry she wasn’t doing enough, or blamed her for their failures. Being accused of doing too much was new. “I’m not saying anything of the sort, Mr. Roronoa. If it is that critical to you, I will refrain from getting involved in the future.”

Raserei said it calmly, without any real emotion, but Zoro couldn’t shake the feeling he was being treated like a child throwing a tantrum. And maybe he **was** being unreasonable, but he was trying to push his limits for his dream, _and_ to carry his weight in this partnership. The damn woman wouldn’t give him any real clue what she was after, just vague comments. Winning battles and protecting her were the only things he could do to cover his part.

Not for the first time recently, Zoro wondered how much longer this was going to work. He thought he’d earn her trust over time, but it didn’t seem to be happening.

But until they both decided to end it, he’d stick with her. 

“Good.” 

The rest of the journey into town was made in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You knew it was gonna be all peaches and cream between these two crazy kids forever.
> 
> I think Dadan must have a solid rep among the low and mid-tier bandits and pirates in the East Blue. She's a bandit that lives on an island Garp visits every year, yet she's somehow still in business. (I gotta figure every smart criminal in the East Blue keeps aware of when Garp's about.) Since I doubt it's common knowledge that she's been threatened into raising his grandkids (great parenting, Garp), everyone else must think Dadan's the biggest badass ever to still be kicking.


	13. The Boiling Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro pursue another bounty, even as things grow more strained between them. When their target tries to exploit this, things may come to a head.

“Watch out, Zoro!” Robin hoped her partner wasn’t going to consider _that_ “getting involved.”

Things had been uneasy since their disagreement after the capture of El Gato. They traveled to another ancient site after, and while Zoro followed her directions as usual, there was a distance. The silences weren’t as comfortable. The swordsman seemed drawn tight, more reckless and driven. After they left the ruins (another dead end), and set their sights on a bounty, it got worse. Robin still wasn’t sure exactly what the problem was. She considered asking, but worried it would cause another blow-up. She hoped that, if she left things alone, Zoro would work through whatever was bothering him.

At any rate, the partner in question ignored her warning, charging straight ahead at their latest bounty. A relatively new, up-and-coming pirate by the name Storm Jolene. They caught her in an otherwise deserted cove where she and her crew anchored. The crew, currently scattered about the cove unconscious, weren’t much trouble for Zoro. The captain, however, was proving to be another matter.

 **“Tiger Trap!”** Zoro prepared to bring two blades down on the pirate, only to have Storm hurl a bucket of water at him from several placed nearby.

 **“Boiled Lobster!”** Zoro tried to simply slash through the water, but fell backwards as the superheated liquid scalded his arms.

“What the hell?” Even through the orange sweater he was wearing – it was a cool morning – he could feel his skin blister instantly.

“Ha! You’re the big, bad Pirate Hunter?” The pirate’s emerald eyes gleamed in amusement as her auburn hair danced with the motion of her laughter.

“I told you, Zoro, Storm Jolene has eaten the Niru-Niru no Mi. She can make things boil instantly.”

Jolene turned towards Robin, look appraising. “I’d heard the Pirate Hunter had a mysterious partner. I’m guessing you’re the brains?”

Storm dove out of the way of Zoro’s next attack, though he did succeed in scattering the remaining buckets. He charged again, crossing his arms, even as his scalded skin cracked and burst. As he passed through the puddles, Jolene raised both arms.

 **“Steam Bath!”** The water around him became superheated vapor. Zoro reacted quickly, whirling his blades to create enough of an air current to keep the steam from scalding or blinding him. Even so, his exposed skin reddened painfully, and his arms protested against the sudden movements.

Storm seized the opportunity to close the gap, reaching for his arms. “I’ll take all the fluids out of you. **Steam Cle-“**

Her statement (and attack) were cut off by a bucket slamming into the back of her skull. She crashed gracelessly into the sand. Jolene spluttered and spat out sand as she pushed herself up and glared at the hooded woman who had attacked. “How dare yo-“

 _“What the hell are you doing?”_ Jolene’s head snapped up to look at the bounty hunter standing next to her. He seemed to have forgotten her entirely, instead glaring at his partner. “I told you to let me handle this!”

“She was about to boil all your internal organs, Zoro.”

“I would have stopped her!” 

The pirate, observing the argument, grinned wickedly. There was a new trick she only recently discovered, and this looked like the perfect time to put it to use.

**“Boiling Blood.”**

* * *

Robin narrowed her eyes at the stupid, stubborn swordsman. What was his problem? The pirate wasn’t even beaten. Zoro could be finishing up the battle as he’d so loudly proclaimed he would, but he’d rather yell at her. “I’m sure you would have stopped her, Mister Swordsman. You certainly looked prepared to defend yourself as you rubbed your eyes.”

“I knew where she was,” Zoro growled. “All it would have taken was a twist of my head to stop her.” This damn woman, acting like she was so superior.

“Of course,” Robin sneered coldly. “How foolish of me. You have never been caught with your guard down. Like that man of El Gato’s who certainly _didn’t_ stab you in your back.”

“I won that battle, didn’t I?”

Robin's laugh, a vicious, biting thing, cut deeper than that bandit’s dagger had. “Silly little swordsman. Do you really think you can become the World’s Greatest with _your_ paltry skills?”

The world around Zoro went silent. All he could see was this person in front of him, mocking his dream.

“Watch it.” His teeth clenched around Kuina’s sword so tightly, it felt like they would crack at any moment. His blood thundered in his ears, but it couldn’t block out her voice.

Robin’s smile was confident and cruel. “You judge yourself against the weaklings here in the East Blue. You have no idea what the world out there is like. Mihawk would not even bother to fight someone at your level. You couldn’t challenge _me_ , let alone him.”

Robin could tell Zoro was going to attack, but she wasn’t worried. She had seen him fight, it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handl-

**“Demon Cutter!”**

And then Robin’s instincts _screamed_ at her to move, as Zoro went roaring past. The blade in his left hand came close enough to slash open her cloak. She rolled smoothly to her feet, and then leapt backwards as the swordsman launched another attack, all three blades whirling towards her.

 _‘He’s moving faster than I’ve ever seen,’_ Robin thought. Rather than be worried, the idea he’d possibly been getting injured by not taking battles seriously only infuriated her more. The anger within surged further out of control.

“Well you certainly taught my cloak a lesson. Perhaps you should abandon the sword and take up being a tailor?”

Zoro launched himself into the air, then dropped like a meteor, the blades in his hands glinting in the weak sunlight as they reached for her. Robin dove out of the way again, and the impact of Zoro’s attack unleashed a shockwave that cut through the sand.

Storm Jolene had been feigning unconsciousness, waiting for the bounty hunters to either kill each other or be distracted enough she could do it. Unfortunately for her, Robin had been standing right in front of her prior to the last attack. While it didn’t hit Jolene directly, she caught the full brunt of the shockwave and was hurled across the beach. She slammed into a cliff face, leaving an impressive crater, before falling to the sand below. Adding injury to injury, the cliff then partially collapsed on her.

Neither of the bounty hunters noticed. Both still caught in the effects of her technique. If anything, they were growing angrier as the battle brought out other issues. Zoro’s attacks were growing closer, and Robin started to feel he intended to kill her. It brought forth the same fury she always felt when people betrayed her, no matter how often it happened. That she was always blamed for their failures and mistakes, an easy scapegoat.

For his part, Zoro grew frustrated. Raserei wasn’t even fighting back, memories of his 2,001 defeats at Kuina’s hands mixing with whispers he really might not be able to claim the title of world’s greatest. That Kuina had been right about his being weak all along. It sparked a desperate rage to affirm he could succeed.

Then Robin stumbled, dodging an attack only for one foot to slip on a bucket. On instinct she summoned her powers.

Zoro saw her stumble and all he was going to do, really, was bring his swords close to her, close enough to prove he could win, but no more. He saw her raise her arms in that same posture from the first day he met her, and suddenly, he couldn’t move. He looked down, eyes widening as arms grew from the sand, holding his legs in place.

He tried to wrench free, but more arms appeared and took hold. The swordsman tried to swing his blades, but found himself trapped by even more arms growing out of _his own body_ , long, slim fingers clamped like a vise around his wrists.

 _‘This is her?!’_

He strained and twisted, more determined than ever to win now that she was actually fighting back. He twisted his head sharply, and the blade in his mouth scored a cut against an arm gripping his left arm. Raserei cried out, and part of Zoro cried out in response, insisted this wasn't right, he shouldn't be attacking her. It was overridden by the realization some of the arms restricting him vanished in a burst of flower petals. He tried to advance.

He couldn’t. He took a single step before even more arms appeared, clamping on to every limb. Grabbing his wrists and the hilt of his swords so he couldn’t try twirling them to gain breathing room. This time, several even seized his head and neck, holding it in place. Zoro strained his muscles to their limit, but couldn’t break free. 

Then he felt a pair of hands close around his throat.

Robin saw the swordsman’s eyes widen as she began to choke the life out of him. The fool wanted to challenge _her_? He could reflect on what a bad decision that had been in Hell. The Devil’s Child had killed men for far less than this.

At that thought, Robin stilled. Not releasing Zoro, but not increasing the pressure any further. He still struggled, but grew weaker as she cut off his air. 

Why were they doing this? Yes, Zoro asked her to not involve herself in his fights, but why had she been so angry at his anger? That wasn’t like her. She could have just brushed it off, like she normally did, tried to get him to focus on the matter at hand. 

Looking back at their fight, the swordsman had been faster than she remembered, but much sloppier. Like the wild beast people whispered about when they brought in another bounty, but not how he normally fought.

The bounty! That miserable pest Storm Jolene. She had been there when it started. Had she done something? Robin scanned the cove, spied a tuft of red hair among a pile of rocks. Was Robin thinking more clearly because the effect was wearing off? 

If there had been any effect. Perhaps this was always going to happen.

A soft groan brought her focus back as Zoro collapsed facedown in the sand, unconscious. She hadn’t released him, he hadn’t quit trying to break free, and had blacked out.

_‘Well, what now?’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly for Zoro, this introduction to the deep end of the pool won't net him a cool scar.
> 
> "Niru" came up as a translation for "boil" (as in heating, not bubbles that appear on your skin). Not sure it's the right word, but it seems close enough. Basically she can heat shit up real fast, but no visible flames or anything.


	14. Should I Stay, or Should I Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin's got problems. Zoro knows about her Devil Fruit ability. Because she just kicked his ass with it. Now she's got to make a decision.

Robin stared at the unconscious swordsman. His swords lay in the sand, the Wado Ichimonji resting between his now-slack jaws. Robin could see grains of sand in front of his mouth moving slightly with each breath, so he wasn’t dead.

This wasn’t good. Zoro took great pride in his strength and skill, in his drive towards his dream. For her to first mock those qualities, then actually defeat him? He would no doubt find that humiliating. Even if whatever Jolene had done wore off - _if_ she had done something, could she superheat their emotions? – Zoro might attack her again the moment he awoke.

She should just leave. With the swordsman’s miserable sense of direction, she could lose him easily.

But he had seen her powers. He didn’t know her true name, but if he tried to find her and began describing her, describing her Devil Fruit? She had avoided letting anyone in the East Blue, other than Buggy (and possibly Garp), know she was there. She wanted to keep it that way.

So. She should kill him.

Standing there, gazing at him impassively, two arms bloomed from the sand on either side of his head. They reached again for his neck, but she hesitated. Was this wise?

Pirate Hunter Zoro was well-known in the East Blue. If what Jolene said was true, Robin was acquiring a bit of a reputation as his partner as well, even if letting Zoro turn in the bounties kept her alias out of any official records. There might be questions if he suddenly vanished or turned up dead. Unless Robin disposed of his body, or killed Jolene and her crew just to be sure, these pirates would certainly be able to guess who was responsible. 

(Robin would rather not kill that many people. She could, she had in the past, when necessary. But that was key, when it had been _necessary_ , because those people were trying to kill her. She could be a demon, but she was not indiscriminate about it.)

Besides, she reasoned, Zoro might not tell anyone. He might not want to admit she had beaten him. Or, if she asked, he might even be willing to keep quiet. Despite his grumpy attitude recently, he still behaved fairly with her.

(The bounty on El Gato actually increased between their first attempt to capture him and the second, Zoro explained as handed her a share of the reward larger than expected. Robin already heard about it on her way to the inn. She hadn’t mentioned it, curious to see what he would do.)

Rather than risk raising questions or suspicions, she would wait. Wait for Zoro to regain consciousness, judge his emotional state, and if possible, ask him to keep her secret. If he attacked her, or refused to, _then_ she would kill him. When he’d proven it was necessary.

It was the practical, sensible approach. Nothing more.

(And if a small voice she kept buried deep inside insisted it would work out, that she could trust the swordsman, well, Robin would ignore it. The hopeful child that still believed Saul’s words had been wrong before.)

* * *

Robin didn’t wait long. Zoro awoke minutes later with a start. He barely registered he was laying on the sand before his head jerked up, and he moved into a crouch. Hands sought and found his blades so intuitively it was as though they called to him. 

He searched the cove, seeing the pirates were still unconscious, before his eyes landed on Raserei. She maintained her distance, leaning against a tree washed up on shore. She looked calm, watching him coolly beneath those bangs, but her posture was guarded and ready. There was nothing relaxed about her at the moment.

Seeing her unease, not to mention the bandage on her forearm, the memory of his attacking her crashed down on the swordsman. The red haze, the anger at her mockery, the moment of shock when she used her powers and. . .

“I lost.” It was not a question.

She tensed even further, arms rising just barely from where they were folded across her stomach. So she could easily reach that posture she took when using her powers, he figured. Very carefully, and deliberately, eyes never leaving hers, Zoro sheathed the blades in his hands. Then he picked up Kuina’s sword from where it lay in the sand. He inspected it, made a mental note to clean and sharpen it later, then sheathed it firmly as well. His gaze returned to his (former?) partner.

“Raserei, I’m sorry for attacking you. It’s unforgivable for me to lose control like that.” 

The archaeologist didn’t say anything. She might have relaxed fractionally. Zoro faced her squarely, and bowed low at the waist. “Also, thank you. For showing me how much farther I still need to go.”

Robin was struck speechless. Completely unprepared, she could barely stutter out, “You, you are welcome, Zoro.” It was bizarre. He thanked her for that defeat, after all she’d said to him?

She snapped out of her stupor as Zoro asked, “Did our bounty get away?”

Robin shook her head and pointed over his shoulder towards the pile of rubble. Zoro immediately marched over, and after shifting a few rocks, pulled Storm Jolene out by the scruff of her neck. He looked at her cautiously. “Better get her to the Marines before she uses those weird powers again, right?”

Robin nodded, and Zoro set out, in the correct direction no less, grabbing his pack from where he’d left it before the battle. He picked up Robin’s and threw it to her. “You coming?”

She caught it easily, and followed him through the woods, to the road that would take them to town. She stayed a few steps back at first, but when he didn’t show any sign of hostility, or even comment on it, she drew up beside him. They walked quietly. The silence wasn’t strained exactly; more both were lost in their own thoughts.

(Although both of them kept a wary eye on their prisoner, alert for any sign she was waking up.)

Robin wondered what Zoro was thinking, but decided now was as good a time as any to ask her favor. Once they reached town, there was too much risk he might let something slip.

“Zoro, could I ask you not to mention anything about what you saw?”

He didn’t look over, and no reaction showed. “You mean your ability?” She nodded. “That important it stays a secret?”

“There are people I wish to avoid, who know of it. They don’t know I’m in the East Blue. If they heard of someone with my power, it would be a clear signal.”

Zoro shrugged. “Sure. It doesn’t mean anything to me.” 

The wary look didn’t leave Raserei’s eyes. She wasn’t convinced, and this truly worried her. He’d never seen fear that close to the surface with her. He wasn’t sure he ever saw her afraid. (As strong as it turned out she’d been all along, it made sense.) 

Her doubt in him hurt, but he tried to push it aside. She had reason, after what he’d done, and it was more important to rebuild her trust. Zoro stopped in the road, dumped the pirate off his shoulder, and turned to face his partner. She stopped and faced him as well, curiosity mixing with caution. Slowly, so she could see what he was doing, he drew his white katana and held it vertically in front of him. The blade shone in the faint sunlight.

“Gespenst Raserei, I swear on this blade, I will never reveal what I saw today to anyone, even at the cost of my life.”

For the second time in a short while, Robin was at a loss for words. She felt as though all breath had been driven from her by an immense fist. Zoro’s gaze burned into hers, impressing upon her his absolute seriousness, daring her to question him. 

To tell him his word wasn’t good enough.

She couldn’t. The part of her mind that was continuously on guard, always suspicious, expecting betrayal, was for once silent. She bowed slightly in acknowledgement of his promise. “Thank you, Zoro.”

The swordsman made no response, simply sheathed the blade again and scooped their prisoner off the dirt and back onto his shoulder, continuing on his way.

Unfortunately, this time he got turned around and began to walk towards the cove they’d just left until she managed to get him going the correct direction again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I guess everything is sunshine and rainbows now. Or maybe the ground's still shifting.
> 
> This chapter is one of the first I had figured out for this story, especially the "So. She should kill him." line.


	15. Not As Usual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro's given Robin his word that the secret of her powers is safe with him. That doesn't mean everything's back to normal. . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick programming note: Because I have a one-shot I want to post for K18 day on Friday, Chapter 16 will go up on the 21st.
> 
> On another note, thank you to everybody's who's reading, commenting, kudoing, whatever. It's nice to see people are enjoying this. I'm never sure if the things that are of interest to me are of interest to anybody else.

It was late afternoon by the time they reached the nearest town, Lenten. As usual, Zoro went to turn Storm Jolene into the Marines and collect the reward, while Robin found lodging for the night and a place to grab a meal. Robin sat waiting quietly in a restaurant on the main street. She had a book open in front of her, but while her gaze seemed fixed on it, nothing on the page registered.

She never bothered sending a messenger to tell Zoro where she was, or to lead him to her. He always insisted he didn’t need any help, and strangely, given his normal directional problems, he was actually right. On the occasions she’d seen someone try to give Zoro directions, he immediately turned the wrong way, or kept doubling back on his own trail. Left to his own devices, though, he’d proved capable of finding her eventually, if she was patient.

(She had more than one conversation with Johnny and Yosaku about where the swordsman’s directional problems stemmed from. They even tried a few different methods of giving directions as tests, but nothing seemed to help. It was easiest to either keep him close by, or just wait for him to find his own way.)

At the moment, Zoro was making his way down the street. Pausing to glance in each restaurant he passed to check if she was there, moving on when she wasn’t. He only got turned around once, when he crossed the street to check a tavern. Robin kept an eye and ear on him since they split up. It wasn’t that she doubted his word. Really. She just wanted to make certain he didn’t let anything slip by accident.

He hadn’t. Hadn’t said anything. Simply dumped Jolene on the Marine’s desk and handed over the note Robin wrote explaining where the rest of the crew and their ship were anchored. Accepted the money with a grunt and walked out.

She looked up from the book she wasn’t reading as he entered. Zoro paused in the doorway, eyes flicking over the other patrons as he sought her out, gauging them as possible threats and dismissing them. (She’d done the same, if less obviously.) Moving smoothly her way once he spied her, weaving through the tables. Robin could hear the other customers muttering about the “Pirate Hunter” among themselves, a mixture of emotions - fear, awe, sexual interest, disgust – in the comments, depending on who was doing the muttering. To them, he moved with the ease and grace of a top predator, but Robin felt there was something slightly off about his gait.

He settled in the chair across from her with a quiet greeting, sliding her half of the bounty across the table. The two ordered, and ate quietly. Robin couldn’t help noticing Zoro didn’t order sake, or any alcohol for that matter. He ate slowly and calmly, almost mirroring her.

(His manners weren’t necessarily bad, but he was usually ravenous after fights, shoveling food into his mouth.)

“The inn is across the street. They only have one room available, but it has two beds.”

“That’s fine.” The conversation stalled out again. Watching intently, it was clear his mind was elsewhere. Replaying their fight, possibly. Robin wanted to ask, but caution held her back. Things felt so tenuous at the moment. She had his promise, but that was no guarantee of anything else. Whatever they were to each other might shatter if tilted too far one way or the other.

(She didn’t want it to shatter.)

“How’s your arm?” The swordsman’s grey eyes locked on the bandage.

“It’s alright, nothing that will limit me much. Although if you would like to carry my pack for the next few days, I would not object.”

She meant it as a joke, but Zoro nodded in total seriousness. “Least I can do.”

“Zoro, don’t take it so hard,” she urged, keeping her voice low in case of eavesdroppers. “You gave me the wound in response to an attack I made on you.”

“After I attacked you first.”

“Storm Jolene’s power affected both of us.”

“I shouldn’t have allowed myself to be affected by it, certainly shouldn’t have attacked my partner. A swordsman with no control is no swordsman.”

There was guilty bitterness in his voice, and Robin didn’t know what to say. Her past partners didn’t care about her well-being. Rather than risk making things worse, she let it drop.

* * *

Robin surveyed their room as she closed the door behind them. It wasn’t anything special. Two plain, sturdy beds, one pillow each. A lamp on a table between them. A chair in one corner, next to a window looking out on the docks and the sea beyond, dimly visible from a few scattered streetlights. A second door on the other side of the room that led to a small bath. The same as any number of rooms she’d stayed in over the years. At least the wallpaper had a floral design. Most of these seaside inns opted for anchors or little ships. As if people just off a ship didn’t get enough of those already.

Zoro leaned his swords against one bed and dumped his pack carelessly next to it. He peeled his sweater off and a low hiss escaped against his will. Robin heard skin tearing, and realized in the confusion of everything else, she’d forgotten entirely that some of Jolene’s attacks struck home.

“Zoro, why didn’t you say anything? We need to treat those.”

She turned on the lamp and moved closer. Away from the dim light in the restaurant it was obvious his cheeks and jaw were red, but probably no worse than a sunburn. His forearms on the other hand, were at least second-degree burns.

Zoro, as usual, dismissed his injuries. “They’re fine. I can still fight.” 

He tried to fold his arms across his chest to look imposing, but the wincing rather ruined the effect. Besides, Robin was a few inches taller than him, and had already beaten him in a fight once today. His intimidating glower wasn’t nearly as effective on her as most people.

“Sit down, and let me see your arms,” she said firmly. When he remained stubborn, she jabbed a long finger at one particularly bad blister. He bit back a curse, and landed heavily on the bed. She pulled the chair in front of him, and began cleaning the wounds gently.

“If you don’t treat these properly, it will only slow your progress, Mr. Roronoa,” she said matter-of-factly, focused on the task. 

When he didn’t respond with his usual rebuttals, she checked to see if he was listening. Her eyes lingered briefly on the bruises on his neck. The ones from her hands. They’d look worse in the morning. She forced her eyes up, and the guilt down. 

Zoro was staring out the window, the distant look from earlier back on his face. Finally noticing her gaze, he turned to her. His jaw moved, like he was trying to chew something tough. She decided to risk giving him a nudge.

“What is it, Zoro?” she asked gently.

“Did you mean what you said?”

What she - ? Oh. She had ridiculed his chances of achieving his dream, hadn’t she? It was a hazy memory until she focused on it, then it snapped into clear, ugly focus. She could argue he needed to understand just how difficult what he wanted would be to achieve, but that hadn’t been her intent at the time. She’d wanted to hurt him.

“Zoro, I’m sorry for what I said. It’s your dream, I shouldn’t have-“

“That’s not what I meant!” he said, sharply enough it startled her. Sharply enough her eyes flickered towards his swords. Zoro didn’t miss that, and took a deep breath to calm himself. After a few seconds, he continued.

“You were under her influence too. If you’re letting me off the hook for attacking you, then the same goes for you.” When she didn’t argue, he continued. 

“Did you mean what you said about how strong Mihawk is? How he’d be much stronger than you?”

“I’ve never met him, so I can’t say for certain, but Dracule Mihawk is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.”

His nose wrinkled in confusion. “What’s that mean? Who are they?”

Robin was a little surprised he didn’t know, but this _was_ the East Blue. The pirates here were a far cry from that level. “It means he’s one of seven pirates so strong the World Government decided rather than try to capture or execute him, it was better to come to an agreement with him.”

Seeing his interest, she continued. “Keep in mind, 5 of the other 6 have Devil Fruit powers like I do. Most of them captain large crews, which include several subordinates who are extremely powerful in their own right. I believe some of the Warlords even rule their own countries.”

“Mihawk, by all accounts, has no Devil Fruit, and no crew. He travels alone, just his blade and his skill to rely on.”

“Of course,” snorted Zoro. “He wouldn’t be worthy of his title if he let others do his fighting for him.”

With that statement, Robin thought she understood why Zoro didn’t want her interfering in his battles. “You’re probably correct. The point I’m making is that even alone, Mihawk is considered so dangerous an alliance is preferable to the Government over the potential losses the Marines would suffer trying to defeat him. They would not be so hesitant against me.”

* * *

Zoro wanted to ask if the Marines were the ones she wanted to keep in the dark about where she was, but held his tongue and tried to process what she said. 

Zoro hadn’t been impressed with many of the Marines he’d met so far. None of them, really. But if Raserei was sure the Marines were strong enough to attack her, then there must be Marines out there far stronger than any he’d seen. He’d have to reach that level before he could even consider reaching Mihawk’s.

The question was how.

* * *

Robin left the swordsman to his thoughts while she treated the burns. It certainly made him an easier patient than when she played doctor for him in the past. She finished applying the loose, moist wrappings. It would have been better to do this immediately, but better late than never. She made a note to stop at a drugstore tomorrow for something that could be applied if the burns grew infected. Zoro always healed surprisingly quickly from injuries in the past, but never anything this severe.

“Zoro, I would recommend you refrain from any training for at least a week.”

“I can’t do that!” Robin would have said he was almost whining. From the abashed look on Zoro’s face, he thought the same.

“We’re docked on the other side of the island. We could rest here for a few days before we leave.”

“Come on, walking shouldn’t count as training. I won’t even be using my arms.”

“But you would,” Robin responded smoothly. “After all, you will be carrying both of our packs. And I would like to examine the bookstore before we leave.”

Zoro grumbled, but relented. She’d probably buy a lot of books. “Fine. One day.” He felt a little less sour when Raserei smiled at him. Like he’d done her some kind of favor. It was nice to see her smile, rare as it was. 

_‘Maybe she wants more time to sneak around this Marine base.’_ This wasn’t their first trip through Lenten Town. But he still didn’t know what she was after. She might want to look again.

Robin moved the chair back to its corner and set her pack on the other bed. “If you don’t mind, Zoro, I’m going to use the shower first.”

“Hmm? Oh, sure.” Robin raised an eyebrow. Zoro had fallen back into his own thoughts again already. She wondered what was running through his mind now, but decided to let him think on it first.

* * *

Robin emerged later in a pair of comfortable shorts and a loose shirt, still drying her hair. The water didn’t heat up much, but at least the water pressure wasn’t lacking. She paused, seeing Zoro still sitting on the bed where she left him, staring into space. On the positive side, he hadn’t disturbed the wraps over his burns yet, as he usually did with any bandages she tried to apply.

Which was strange enough she had to check on him. “Zoro, is everything alright?”

He looked up as if surprised to see her there. “Yeah, I’m fine.” His eyes darted away from hers, then back. He stood up. “Raserei, I’d like to ask a favor of you.”

“Oh?” She was curious to hear this. Zoro was not the sort to request favors.

“Will you help me train?” Robin supposed she should have seen that coming. He looked embarrassed to be asking.

She set that aside. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable fighting you again, Mr. Roronoa.”

“I get that. I wasn’t thinking of that.” Not entirely true. Zoro doubted she would agree to sparring, but had hoped maybe she would. “But your, you know,” he gestured vaguely, “you can make those appear wherever, right?”

Robin appreciated Zoro wasn’t even taking the chance someone in an adjacent room might hear him. Unless he was simply at a loss to describe her ability. “If I can see the location to make them, yes.”

The swordsman nodded, as if this confirmed a suspicion. “You told me once, I needed to be more aware of my surroundings. Could you use those to throw stuff at me from different locations?”

“Like knives? I think our expenditures on medical supplies would rise sharply.”

“It doesn’t have to be knives.” His tone suggested he’d been thinking of something like that. “You could use rocks, or acorns, or something. Just so I could work on that. Obviously not when anyone is around,” he added.

Robin considered it as she settled under the covers. They were alone on the boat, and spent a lot of time searching islands where it was just the two of them. It seemed silly, but why not? “I think I could manage that.” Some urge made her ask, maybe the memory of how there had always been conditions to any help she received. “What would I receive in return?”

Zoro blinked. “I hadn’t thought about that. You’re right. I’d need to repay you somehow.”

That distant look returned to his face. Robin didn’t like how she felt seeing it. She wanted to ease his worries.

“I wasn’t being serious, Zoro. I don’t think you owe me anything. You could consider my helping with your training as payment for you keeping my secret.”

She said it lightly, and it did draw Zoro from the fog of his thoughts. Just not how she hoped. His brows dropped into a heavy scowl, grey eyes growing stormy and fierce.

“I already gave you my word I wouldn’t reveal your secret,” he snapped. “There are no conditions on that, whether you help me or not. I did it because it was important enough for you to ask. You’re my partner, and you’re supposed to be able to trust me. Which you clearly don’t. Just forget it.”

With that, the swordsman climbed into his own bed, and rolled onto his side facing away from her. Robin was left there, confused for the, what, fourth time? today. With no idea what to do or say – another frustrating experience – she turned off the lamp, and laid down to sleep as well.

Maybe she could fix this in the morning. If there was still anything left to fix.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, Robin and Zoro spend some time trying to figure things out, and whether or not they can salvage this partnership.


	16. Reaching an Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro spend a little time thinking things over. But if this is gonna work, they're each going to have to take some chances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back! I don't currently anticipate another break in the schedule for at least a month.

Zoro woke early, grabbed his swords, and left the room quietly. Robin was already awake. Even with the stress of the day before – or more likely because of it – she slept poorly. Her senses focused on the swordsman in the bed next to hers, unsure what he might do. Still, it was early enough even she wasn’t ready to get up.

She stayed in bed well past when she normally would. Robin felt a familiar grey weariness settling in, weighing down her limbs and her thoughts. Making her question if there was any reason to get up, or even go on at all. It had been over nineteen years, and she had made so little progress. In discovering the answers of the Void Century, and it seemed in finding the friends Saul assured her were out there somewhere.

She hadn’t figured out where the researcher whose presence brought her to the East Blue was. She had one slim clue that might point to a Poneglyph. Or it might not. If it did, the odds it was the one she sought were low. Now the person she’d worked with closely for almost a year-and-a-half, a person she thought perhaps she could trust, was furious with her.

Robin wondered if this was Zoro’s way of ending their partnership. If he finally reached his limit with all the secrets she kept, and washed his hands of her. Her eyes drifted to his pack, left behind in the chair. She decided ( _hoped_ ) he had simply gone out for air, and she would see him later.

She rolled onto her back to stare unseeing at the ceiling, replaying last night’s conversation in her head. Why had it angered Zoro so much that she offered to count his keeping the secret of her powers as a favor in exchange for helping his training? It seemed perfectly fair to her.

Zoro had a firm belief in his strength and skill with a sword, as well as in his code of honor. While he had not stopped Johnny and Yosaku from sometimes ambushing bounties, Zoro had never once been willing to do so himself. He always challenged them directly.

But in this most recent battle, Robin cast doubt, on both his ability as a swordsman and her faith in it. Then she did the same to his honor, by acting as though he would require something in return to keep a promise he had given already.

_‘He isn’t like the others I’ve worked for or with.’_

That realization rang across her thoughts like an immense bell. Trust was a foreign concept to the criminals and pirates she’d worked for. That they would betray you as soon as it suited their purposes was to be expected. Anyone who thought otherwise was a fool. She learned that lesson the hard way by the time she turned 11. And she applied these same standards to how she worked with Zoro.

But Zoro had never given her any reason to consider him the same as those others. He might be stubborn and proud, but to her knowledge, he hadn’t deceived her. She asked for his word, and he gave it. She should extend him at least that much trust. A concrete goal before her, Robin rose from bed and dressed, resolving to apologize.

Unfortunately, finding Zoro proved difficult. The innkeeper confirmed the swordsman paid for the room for another night for both of them, but hadn’t seen which way he’d gone once he departed. She asked some shopkeepers and other passerbys, but the few that saw Zoro each described him as going a different direction.

After an hour, Robin gave up. She wouldn’t find Zoro this way. If his terrible sense of direction was acting up, there was no telling where he was. He might be at the cove where they fought Jolene the day before by now.

Instead, Robin opted to take care of things that needed doing. First stop, a pharmacy to buy more bandages and antibiotics for her and Zoro’s injuries. After that, she’d visit the bookstore they found on their last visit here.

* * *

Zoro headed for the sea as soon as he finished paying for another night at the inn. The inn was two blocks from the sea, and it only took Zoro 30 minutes to cover the distance, despite the twisting, confusing streets.

Who says he has no sense of direction?

The docks were already busy with fishermen loading their gear before heading out, or dockworkers unloading cargo ships. Zoro followed the coastline until the sounds of human activity faded. The sun was just beginning to cast its rays over the hills behind him when he found an empty, rocky shore. With the only sounds the waves crashing against the beach, and a few seabirds calling overhead, Zoro drew Kuina’s sword and began a series of slow, deliberate movements. He could feel where his skin and muscles sent out warning signals, made a note where the limits were.

He agreed not to train, or more accurately, that they could stay for an extra day, but this was an exception. He wasn’t training his body, he reasoned, but trying to settle his mind. He let his body fall into the familiar forms and steps he knew, finding a comfort that let his mind focus elsewhere, to sort his thoughts. They needed sorting. Last night left them a mess.

Zoro told Raserei a swordsman with no control was no swordsman. Allowing some pirate’s power to make him lose control was unacceptable, whatever she said. Then he lost control _again_ , without any prompting, and snapped at his partner. Because he was angry she didn’t trust him.

But was that true? He’d taken her offer to consider keeping her secret a favor as an insult. That she thought he wouldn’t keep it otherwise. Maybe all she’d meant was he didn’t need to repay her for her help?

Frustration intruded on his thoughts, demanding its say. She _didn’t_ trust him. Not enough to share, at least. He didn’t know what she was after, or who was after her. Or why. He hadn’t known she had a Devil Fruit power until yesterday. He was sure her name wasn’t really “Gespenst Raserei”. If she wouldn’t even share her name, how could he trust her?

Because she’d always dealt fairly with him. He told her to leave the fights to him, and she mostly did. When she didn’t, it was because she thought he was in danger. She was wrong, and risked putting herself in danger, but she was acting out of concern. She trusted him not to cheat her of her share of bounties. Trusted him to watch her back in those ruins she explored. Zoro observed her closely. The woman didn’t let many people get close to her, literally or figuratively. But she let him walk right next to her, sleep near her (even if _she_ didn’t sleep much). Maybe she was trusting him as much as she could.

Until that rainy night in the ruins, he’d never asked her even one of the questions he had. She always deflected when Johnny or Yosaku tried getting her to open up, so Zoro didn’t push. She would tell when she felt like it.

Except that hadn’t happened. He tried offering something personal of his own, his dream, gave her the opening to respond in kind. She hadn’t. Maybe she didn’t understand what he was doing.

He needed to be open about what he was looking for. That was the answer.

Zoro finished the current form, sheathed his blade. Took a moment to look out at the sea. Remind himself his dream was still out there, and he needed to push ahead. Then he headed for town. He had someone to talk to.

* * *

Robin approached the bookstore close to noon. She opted to take the medical supplies back to the hotel first, along with a few other items, food mostly. Then she decided to stop for a coffee, since she hadn’t had a cup yet that morning.

(The shop also afforded a good view of the street if the swordsman came ambling along.)

Once all other tasks were done, she headed for the bookstore. To her surprise, there was a familiar shock of green hair visible through the window, roaming the aisles. She stepped inside and moved to the aisle furthest from the entrance. Zoro looked up from the shelf he was glancing over as she stepped into view.

“There you are,” he said, sounding relieved. “Thought I’d missed you, even though the guy at the counter said no one like you had been in so far.” He didn’t mention he’d been trying to get back to the hotel, and after an hour, decided to wait at the bookstore when he walked past it the fifth time.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting.” Robin said quietly, scanning the shelves for anything new. They were in the history section, so she didn’t have high hopes (most current historical scholarship was shoddy crap designed to prop up the World Government’s favored reality).

Zoro saw the tired, downcast look in her eyes. Normally she was excited to search for books. Had he hurt her that much last night? “It’s OK. There’s a book here about a land of swordsman. I might get it.”

“You mean Wano?”

He looked back at the book. “Yeah. Have you been there?”

“No, but it is fairly well-known in other parts of the world.” The pair moved quietly down the aisle for several minutes, then to the next. “I didn’t realize you were interested in history.” Robin couldn’t recall seeing him reading any books. He read newspapers sometimes, so she knew he wasn’t illiterate.

“I’m not normally, but it caught my eye.”

Robin had no success in non-fiction, but found a pair of mysteries, a romance novel, plus a high adventure set in a vast desert. Fiction often helped brighten her spirits. Zoro leaned over her shoulder to peer more closely at the last one.

“What’s that about?”

“A small group of hired gunmen who choose to protect a village from an army of bandits, despite receiving almost no money. Sounds curious.”

“They’re proving something to themselves. They may offer their skills for money, but they control who they sell them to. They can fight for the right reasons, if they want.”

Robin turned to look at him, absently noting she hadn’t flinched at having him at her back. He made it sound so obvious, so simple.

* * *

Outside, Zoro picked Robin’s bag of books out of her hand and slung it over his shoulder. “I said I’d carry your stuff for you.”

Robin knew better than to waste time arguing. She just thanked him instead. Zoro shrugged. They made their way towards the hotel, having exhausted Lenten Town’s points of interest.

“Raserei, I’m sorry about snapping at you last night.”

“It’s all right, Zoro, I wasn’t clear. I wasn’t implying I didn’t believe you when you gave your word, just that you didn’t need to repay me.”

“I figured that once I calmed down this morning.” He paused, weighing whether to go forward.

 _‘Screw it.’_ He wasn’t the sort to pussyfoot around.

“But you _don’t_ entirely trust me. You had to think about it before you accepted my word.”

Robin didn’t want to lie and start the whole fight over again, so she didn’t. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Zoro. I’ve been betrayed many times in the past, and hurt by it. It’s difficult for me.”

By then, they’d reached their room. Zoro shut the door firmly, set the books on his bed and stepped back, leaning against the wall next to the window. “I figured that, too.”

Robin felt a flutter of cautious optimism. This was going well. If she could just explain things so he understood her. “Please believe I’m trying. I do accept your word.”

“That’s good.” He paused, weighing his words. Robin waited. “What is it you’re looking for, Raserei, really? It’s more than just being interested in old stuff, or you wouldn’t be sneaking into Marine bases.”

Robin’s blood froze, but the smile on her face held. Barely. With effort, she kept the tremble out of her voice. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Zoro almost snapped at her, but caught himself just in time. Yelling wouldn’t help, she’d either shut down, or redirect the conversation with some clever jab. They’d be right back where they started.

_‘OK, just explain it. Calmly.’_

“I’ve known for a while. We were in some little town, you had a room to yourself, I was rooming with Johnny and Yosaku. I went looking for booze, and the hotel moved. I wound up by the base, and saw you climb the wall.”

Robin’s mind raced at the implications. _‘He’s known that long?’_ “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t know what you were doing. I never heard anything about Marines found dead in their bunks, or bases being blown up. Nothing was being stolen. Didn’t seem like you were hurting anyone, so I waited. Figured you’d tell me sometime.”

“What’s changed?”

“Waiting wasn’t working. Thought I’d better make the first move.” His voice softened. “I don’t think you’re trying to hurt anyone, Raserei, but you have something that matters to you a lot. A dream you’re chasing, same as me. You said you’d help me. Let me help you.”

Robin shook her head. He couldn’t mean that. “You don’t know what you’re offering. The risk you’ll be taking.”

He scoffed. “Riskier than becoming the World’s Greatest Swordsman? You already told me Mihawk is so strong the Marines are scared to challenge him, but when I find him, I will. When I set my sights on that dream, I gave up attachment to my life. My dream’s worth dying for. If I’m getting closer to my dream helping you chase yours, and I die? Then that’s as far as I was ever gonna get.”

Zoro watched Raserei think it over. She thought that blank expression hid her emotions, but he could tell she was weighing the options. Fear against trust. Risk versus reward. Finally, she came out of her thoughts and faced him, eyes clear.

“Very well, Zoro. What do you know about the Void Century?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Robin's taking a risk. You'll find out how much she shared next chapter. 
> 
> I usually have a much better answer to things people say the morning after, when I can think it over. Which is usually too late, because my off-the-cuff response probably fucked everything up already. But this is a story, so they can still try to piece things together.
> 
> I headcanon the World Government exerts a lot of control over what kinds of books gets published, and what sorts of views are presented as the "correct" ones. They've got their narrative, and they want to impose it.


	17. Let Sleeping Robins Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While traveling to an island hidden in fog, the duo adjust to their new normal. Zoro embarks on his new training program and tries to be a helpful partner. Robin debates the merits of sleep and various literary techniques.

_Thud._

_Thwack._

_Plink._

At the sound of a frustrated huff, Robin looked up from her book. “Is something the matter, Zoro?”

She heard him take a deep breath, then release it slowly. “No. It’s fine.”

Robin hummed in response before returning her attention to the mystery she was reading. Ten seconds later, one of the limbs she’d placed around the front of _Pipit_ hurled a small rock at Zoro. _Thwack._ It bounced off the meat of his shoulder solidly as the swordsman practiced with his swords. He growled again, and paused his movements.

They were a week removed from capturing Storm Jolene. After Robin explained her dream to learn what happened during the Void Century, they reached a new agreement. Robin would help Zoro grow stronger in pursuit of his dream, and Zoro would put that strength to use helping her find the Rio Poneglyph in any way that he could. 

The green-haired man had been a little vague on exactly how he’d help. 

_“Well, you’ll need money. I can keep bringing in bounties. Protect you from traps in the ruins. I can, um, lift heavy stuff in the way? Beat up Marines to make them tell you where that secret base is?”_

It wasn’t so different from their original arrangement, they were both just being more honest about what they were after. Robin was fine with that. She knew Zoro would do what he could. It was nice to still have company, even better to have someone she could share her dream with. Just being able to speak of it openly felt freeing somehow. Even if Zoro didn’t understand why it mattered so much to her, he understood and accepted that it did. 

So with another bounty cashed in, it was time to pursue one of Robin’s leads. This time, a lost island. It was said to exist somewhere within a permanent fog far to the north of Warship Island. Professor Lehane’s book mentioned it as being of some importance in ancient history, but Robin’s past attempts to find it were all thwarted by the mist. No matter how many times she sailed into it, she always ended up where she started. Eventually, lack of supplies and funds would force her to pursue other avenues. Jolene’s bounty on top of others she and Zoro claimed recently meant they were able to stock up on supplies to scour the region thoroughly.

In the meantime, Robin was doing as the swordsman requested and helping him with his awareness. By using her power to throw small objects at him while he trained.

(He hadn’t stopped training entirely after the burns he received, but did dial back the intensity, focusing more on meditation. For two days.)

Robin quickly learned the swordsman’s peripheral vision was excellent, as he managed to avoid a fair number of the things she threw early on. Rather than be pleased with this, Zoro saw it as a sign they needed to increase the difficulty.

“In a real fight, against a strong opponent, I’ll be too focused on them to rely on noticing attacks out of the corner of my eye.”

“I could stick to only throwing things at you from directly behind,” Robin offered.

“That’s too predictable.” Zoro removed the bandanna from his arm and tied it over his eyes. “Now you can attack from any direction, and I’ll have to pick up on it somehow besides eyesight. Sound good?”

Robin really didn’t have any idea. Physical training like this was foreign to her. She was in excellent shape, but forged from the simple necessity of survival. “If you think it will help, Zoro.”

That had been two days ago. So far, he hadn’t dodged a single thing she’d thrown. He hadn’t given up, but did occasionally grow frustrated. At those times, he usually changed whatever he was doing. Like now, as he took a seat, fumbling around for his kit for a few seconds, then began cleaning his swords one by one.

Robin continued to pelt him with rocks, acorns, a peach pit, one of the dirty cleaning rags he used. Zoro bore the barrage stoically, although Robin could tell by the cords in his neck he was straining every other sense to detect where the next projectile would come from. Even so, his hands went through the ritual of preserving his swords without a hitch.

* * *

Zoro finished cleaning his swords and leaned them against the wall of the cabin. He could faintly hear Raserei turning pages in the stern. Either she was letting the wind carry the boat, or she was using her power to steer.

Her Devil Fruit took some getting used to. The way she could make limbs bloom from anywhere, including on another person’s body. It wasn’t limited to just arms and hands, either, as she’d demonstrated in the hotel by having a mouth appear in the bathroom while he was in there. It explained some of how good she was at gathering information, at least.

(When he asked in jest if she used her powers to spy on him in the shower, she gave him a cryptic smile. Which either meant _“yes”_ , or _“no, but it’s fun to make you think it’s yes.”_ )

_‘Not that I care whether she does or not,’_ he thought firmly as he set the anchor on deck next to him. 

He groped around for a few other weights he’d bought, hanging them off the ends of the anchor. Even if being blindfolded wasn’t helping him sense attacks (yet), Zoro was pleased how quickly he adjusted to finding things on-board. And it was great practice for his balance, being in tune to the movements of the ship without visual cues. He removed his shirt, since the heat of the day was getting annoying, then balanced the anchor on the soles of his feet. He moved slowly into a handstand, and began doing push-ups.

Raserei still hadn’t shared everything with him. Her real name, for one thing. He doubted somehow she just thought her name was dumb. He hadn’t pressed, even though he would like to know. It had clearly been a big deal for her to reveal as much as she did. 

Still, questions lingered. Who was she trying to avoid? There were any number of possibilities. She explained that while one of the big stone blocks would have what she was after, there were others that told of old, powerful weapons. Zoro might not have traveled as widely, but he knew people. There were plenty who’d want those. If she was the only one who could find them, it stood to reason people would hunt her.

(She hadn’t explained _why_ she was the only one who could. Just that the ones who taught her were “gone.” He hadn’t needed to ask about that. Could read the pain in her voice. She wasn’t doing this just for herself, but for others who couldn’t, the same as him.)

It was OK. He’d wanted her to open up a little, to show she trusted him, and she had. It was a start. For all that Zoro liked to settle things directly, as quickly as possible, he knew patience. He had known as a child it would take years to become the World’s Greatest Swordsman, and been ready if that’s what it took. Based on what Raserei told him, it might take even longer than he figured, but he wasn’t giving up. 

So he could wait. As long as he didn’t screw up, they could build from here. And it’s not as if he told her everything about himself, he reasoned, even if he didn’t think there was much else about him that was important. Things were on steadier ground between them again, that was the important thing. 

At that thought, they hit a sizeable wave, and all Zoro’s focus went to his workout. He didn’t want the anchor on his neck. He wobbled momentarily, forearms offering a sharp reminder about the nearly-healed burns. He steadied, held himself motionless, legs extended while _Pipit_ rose and fell through the crest and trough of the next few waves. Finding the rhythm of the ship’s motion, he matched his rise and fall to it once more. 

* * *

Robin held off hurling her next object when Zoro nearly lost his balance. She put full attention on him for the next few seconds. If he fell, she could catch him, or the weights he was using.

It wound up being unnecessary. He caught himself, and settled back into his workout. That was fine. She would rather not have to worry about him re-aggravating his injuries. 

_‘And watching him work out isn’t without its benefits,’_ she mused to herself. Maybe she could mention that to him later. After her silent response to his question about spying on him in the shower, it might be amusing.

(She didn’t – it wasn’t her style – and wouldn’t – since she didn’t want to damage their newfound trust - but the way he grew slightly flustered when she didn’t deny it was cute.)

Confident Zoro’s stance was steady, she turned part of her attention back to her book, part to steering, and the remainder to throwing things at the swordsman. Things followed that course for some time. The only sounds were their boat moving steadily through the waves, Zoro counting reps softly to himself, and various objects rebounding off his body onto the deck. 

Finally, as the sun dipped towards the horizon, Zoro set his weights aside and removed his blindfold. He made his way to the rear of the ship, noting his partner had almost finished the book she was reading. He shook his head. 

_‘She only started it this morning.’_ She looked up at his approach, a pleasant smile on her face.

“You ready for dinner?” He grabbed a ladle and scooped up some seawater to splash over himself. Even with only two of them, their freshwater supply was still limited. They kept as clean as they could manage without feeling wasteful. 

(Raserei actually complained less about how infrequently he showered than Johnny and Yosaku had. Maybe because quarters weren’t as close with just two of them.)

“I wouldn’t mind. Is it my turn to cook, Mr. Roronoa?”

“You cooked yesterday, right? Means it’s my turn.” 

“Very well. There’s a small island to the east. We could anchor there for the night.”

Zoro felt the boat shift course as he headed inside, searching the hold to see what he could make. Each of them could cook a little, and even though he was pretty sure Raserei appreciated fancy stuff more than he did, she was fine with the simple things he could prepare (combinations of fish, rice, and the other vegetables his sensei had in abundance, mostly.)

* * *

They anchored in a small cove, and wound up eating around a fire on the shore. It gave them a little more room than _Pipit’s_ cabin, and it was a nice evening to be outside. Enough breeze to keep things from getting muggy, but not enough to be distracting.

Zoro leaned lazily against a log, but surveyed their surroundings alertly. He’d really like some sake, but decided to deny himself any as motivation until he could consistently dodge what she threw. At the rate things were going, it was going to be a while. He wished he’d drank more in Lenten Town before he made that decision.

Trying to take his mind off it, he commented, “I figured you’d want to sail all night.”

Robin paused in the process of lifting a cup of coffee to her lips. “The island we seek is shrouded in fog. It will be difficult enough to find in the day. We’ll reach it tomorrow, so we can afford to take a night to rest.”

“You won’t sleep with that stuff in you.” Zoro wasn’t much for coffee, but tried it once when Raserei offered. He’d recoiled from the first sip. The woman liked her coffee as strong as he liked his booze. He was pretty sure he heard his heart accelerate from just that one taste.

“I want to stay up to finish the book I’m reading.” Zoro didn’t buy that for a minute. At the speed she read, she could finish in an hour, and it was barely after dark. The circles under her eyes were hard to ignore, too. 

Zoro figured out early on Raserei didn’t sleep much, and didn’t sleep easily. Once he did, he let her be anytime she overslept her turn at watch. Not that it happened often, or that she slept peacefully when she did, from what he could tell. 

Those nights in Lenten Town, she made distressed noises in her sleep each night. Very soft, even asleep her mind wouldn’t give her location away. He’d laid there awake, alert for any threat, wondering if she sensed something, or if it was just habit. Two nights, she woke up and didn’t go back to sleep. He was pretty sure she knew he was awake, but neither of them said anything about it.

Bringing that up would only put her on guard. She was as reluctant to show weakness as him. “Is it putting a strain on you maintaining all those arms?” 

She glanced at him, confused by the shift in topics. “What do you mean?”

“I never asked how much effort making those takes. I’m guessing at least a little, and you’ve been maintaining them for hours while I’m training. If you’re getting tired, you can take breaks. Might make it more effective if it’s totally random,” he offered.

“It’s alright, Zoro. It’s no strain.” It was, actually, but not that bad. She’d felt worse.

The swordsman sighed. “If you say so.” He watched her start to raise the cup again. If she drank that, she’d never get to sleep tonight. Which would be fine if she slept during the day like him, but she wouldn’t. Because she insisted he’d get them horribly lost. Like it was hard to aim the front of the boat at a cloud sitting in the direction you wanted to go and just follow it.

“Is the book any good?” He didn’t know where the question came from. Raserei looked just as surprised. It wasn’t he didn’t like books. On those rare occasions he couldn’t train, or didn’t feel like it, they could be a good time. Mysteries weren’t really his thing, but he wanted to do something to keep her distracted from her drink. 

She studied him silently, and he did his best to look interested. Finally, her eyes shifted from that dark, studious look, to something bright and eager.

“Yes, actually. It’s quite tense, even though it’s clear the detective will survive until at least the climax. But he may not be able to save his friends from becoming victims.”

“Do you know who the killer is?”

She grinned. “I have a strong suspicion, but I also think the author has one more clue she hasn’t revealed yet, and that may change everything.”

“Sounds kind of like cheating.”

“Not if we learn about it when the protagonist does. But you’re right, it is irritating when the key to the mystery is some piece of information the reader is never given.”

“What the hell kind of mystery is that? Aren’t you supposed to get the chance to figure it out?”

The conversation continued, Zoro asking any relevant questions he could think of, Raserei happily answering or providing opinions. Zoro started to wonder if his plan backfired, as she seemed to grow more animated the longer they talked. Still, it was fun to see her so energetic. Normally, even when she was happy, it a was muted, restrained sort.

Slowly, as the moon rose higher, thin crescent tumbling into the sky, the historian grew sleepy. Her coffee sat forgotten nearby. She had already stretched herself out as she spoke, head propped up by one arm. Now she laid her head on the sand, eyes closed, speech gradually growing softer and more slurred. Her breathing evened out. Zoro continued to sit quietly, waiting for any sign she was going to startle awake.

After a half-hour, confident she was sound asleep, he rose, adding a few more pieces of driftwood to the fire, and stole quietly back to the ship. He returned within a minute, and draped a light blanket over her carefully. She stirred once, and he froze. He’d seen her awake suddenly before. Her arms always went to the crossed posture that had something to do with her powers. If she woke now, and saw him standing over her, his pursuit of his dream would end here.

She didn’t. Her cheek actually burrowed a little deeper into the soft sand that glinted and shone in the firelight. Might have been nice to give her a pillow, but Zoro wasn’t fool enough to think he could move her head to slide that underneath without her waking up. She didn’t seem to mind.

Zoro backed up, the light tread he learned from watching her barely leaving an imprint in the sand, and climbed onto _Pipit’s_ railing. Seated there, arms folded over his stomach, his eyes scanned the woods for any suspicious movement in the shadows.

* * *

Robin woke to the few rays of sunlight that found their way through the maze of trees ringing the cove, accompanied by the harsh cry of some irritating bird in the woods. Slowly at first, eyes blinking sleepily, vaguely aware of something gritty in the corner of the right eye. All at once, her mind caught up with the situation and she bolted upright, eyes searching, trying to take in everything around her.

It was the cove from last night. Or had she been unconscious longer? The fire was down to a faint trail of smoke drifting indolently to join wispy clouds high above. Zoro was not seated across from her, but there was no sign of struggle. Had he abandoned her? 

“Good night’s sleep?” 

She turned, found the swordsman sitting easily on the side of her ship, watching her, head tilted like he was studying something curious.

“What? What happened last night?” _‘Did he drug me? No, I don't feel groggy or anything like that. And I saw him cook the food over this fire, and I made the coffee. Which I didn’t even drink, did I?’_ Looking down, her still-full cup sat cold and murky in front of her.

“You talked about books a lot until you fell asleep.” Zoro sounded amused.

Robin felt her brain struggling to catch up. “Did you plan this?”

“Not really. I just didn’t think you needed coffee.” He at least looked slightly apologetic. “You needed sleep.”

(She knew she didn’t sleep enough. But it was hard to sleep, hard to fully relax, and when she did, more often than not, the nightmares came. Flames and ice, terror crushing her heart.)

“You’re gonna miss something on that island if you’re so tired you can barely think. I can keep watch overnight just fine while you rest.”

Robin rose, catching the blanket as it fell off her, absently wiping sand off herself. “You could have simply asked me to get some sleep.”

He snorted. “I did. You insisted you weren’t tired, remember?”

Faced with her own words, Robin was forced to admit defeat. She was a little frustrated (and maybe worried) at how someone who showed no gift or inclination for subtlety or trickery out-maneuvered her. Another part of her was impressed by it, even happy he was watching over her. “You’re right. I’m accustomed to sleeping lightly. Not wanting to drop my guard.”

Zoro nodded, extending a hand to help her board. “We’re looking after each other. You’ve patched me up plenty when I was wounded. I can give you the chance to sleep peacefully.”

“I’ll try to take you up on that offer more often, then. I hope I didn’t bore you.”

“Nah. It was fun seeing you get so excited talking about all these stories you liked. You were waving your arms around and everything, talking about some critic you said was an idiot.” 

Zoro paused, as he used a long oar to push their vessel away from shore. “I didn’t understand what you meant about the multiple shadows, though.”

“Multiple shadows?” Robin echoed, wondering if perhaps she had been drugged after all.

“Yeah, you said this one writer was really good with four shadows.”

“Foreshadowing, Zoro. It means dropping hints or important clues to things that will happen later.”

“Oh.” That made more sense, then. Maybe.

“Although I have read a legend about a man whose shadow split into four as he approached a crossroads. Each shadow took a different road, and the man’s body was torn apart and dragged after them.”

“Uhhhhh. . .” 

Robin smiled cheerfully. “Are you ready to set sail?”

Zoro was pretty sure he’d lost the thread of the conversation, and settled for shrugging. “The question is if you’re ready. I was up all night. I’m taking a nap.” 

He walked to the bow as the sail was raised and Robin turned them back out to sea. “No throwing things for a while,” he said in a low grumble as he shut his eyes and curled up on the deck.

* * *

Robin stood at the helm. Her attention was supposed to be on the horizon, searching for the fog bank. Instead, her gaze kept falling to the swordsman snoozing peacefully on the deck below.

Her mind examined the night before. It wasn’t like she hadn’t fallen asleep around him before, around campfires or in hotel rooms. But usually not until after Zoro began snoring. He’d never taken steps to actively make her sleep before.

And nothing bad happened. She didn’t even wake in the middle of the night as she normally did, fleeing memories masquerading as nightmares. Robin didn’t know if the circumstances had anything to do with that. She had woken in terror several times when Zoro, Johnny, or Yosaku were near. 

But things were different now, weren’t they? Before, it had been a partnership of convenience. She wouldn't have stopped locking the door to her cabin when she slept for that, though. She was trusting Zoro. Maybe he wasn’t a temporary ally, or even a simple partner, but a friend.

Zoro shifted slightly, frown appearing then disappearing in the span of an eyeblink. She didn’t know how he could sleep so deeply, even as she knew he’d be awake at the first sign of trouble. She had seen it when bandits hunted them, trying to retrieve their leader before he was turned over to the Marines. Zoro slept, but awoke the moment the bandits closed in. He was confident in his instincts and strength save him. 

She formed a hand on the deck near him, let it dance close. Nothing. It tapped one of the earrings dangling from his lobe. He didn’t react. Shouldn’t he respond to her as threat? She’d already proven she could overpower him, even kill him if she wished.

(The bruises on his neck had thankfully faded a couple of days ago. He hadn’t mentioned them once, but her eyes were drawn to them constantly.)

Perhaps it was just a difference in their lives. Zoro was used to being the predator, Robin the prey. Pursued for her bounty and her knowledge. Or it was because he trusted her, in a way she was still learning to extend to him?

She chuckled darkly to herself. _‘He trusts me because he doesn’t know who I am. What I really am.’_

Zoro thought he knew Gespenst Raserei. But he didn’t know it was the World Government that hunted her, and that they would stop at nothing once they found her. Sooner or later he would learn. Learn that Nico Robin brought only death and destruction in her wake. She’d have to tell him eventually, and then hope for the best.

She took a deep breath, banished the traitorous thoughts. Forced her eyes to the point where sea and sky met ahead of them. For now, she would enjoy what she had with her friend.

* * *

The swordsman felt something bounce off his head and was instantly awake. The first thing he saw was a pebble rolling away. He glanced up over his shoulder. “Oi, I said no throwing things for a while.”

Robin smiled at him from her place at the wheel. “I’m sorry to disturb your nap, Zoro, especially since you look so cute when you sleep.” Before Zoro could fire back a response, she continued. “I woke you because we’re approaching the fog.”

Zoro turned back to see they were indeed approaching a dense grey blob, one that simply hovered above the ocean’s surface. “You can’t try to reach the island some other way?”

“No, the fog bank is quite large. If there is an island in there, it isn’t visible from anywhere outside.”

Zoro accepted this explanation and settled back onto his haunches to watch as they were swallowed up by the cloud. That was what it felt like, being thrown into the gullet of some immense creature. The world beyond might as well cease to exist. Zoro couldn’t see sky or sun. No birds calling, or fish leaping from the water. He couldn’t even see the ocean, they might as well have been sailing on the clouds. It was as though all his senses stopped working beyond the edge of the deck.

At least until they drifted back into the sunlight five minutes later. Zoro didn’t see an island, and when he glanced at his partner, he saw disappointment. “What happened?”

“We’re back where we started.” She wasn’t confused, just frustrated. She spun the wheel and sent them back into the fog. Within five minutes they were sailing back out again. “This is what happened the last time. I sail in, then somehow end up turned around.”

“Well stop turning around.”

“I didn’t turn.”

“Obviously you did, or we wouldn’t be going the wrong direction.” Zoro didn’t see how Raserei couldn’t figure this out.

“Mr. Roronoa, I assure you, I did not turn the ship. I held the wheel steady the entire time on the course we were on.”

Zoro snorted and climbed up to where she stood. “You think you aren’t turning, because you can’t see anything to tell you different. The boat’s getting turned around.”

She stepped back from the helm, gaze silently challenging him to prove he could do better. Roronoa Zoro did not back down from any challenge. He spun the wheel until they were headed back to the fog bank, although the ship veered before they even reached it, entering the obscuring haze at a different angle.

For a moment, Zoro stood still, eyes shut, letting the waves carry the boat. Then he twisted the wheel sharply to the right, like he was trying to leave the fog. _Pipit_ seemed to fight this, drifting sideways on its original heading for a few seconds, before abruptly moving forward again. Zoro repeated this several times, turning the wheel in what seemed to Robin were arbitrary directions. But none of these course changes took them back into open ocean, so she stayed silent.

When they finally did reach open air, an island sat directly in front of them. Other than a flat plain that they were headed towards, the rest of the island was a single mountain. Everything sat on a slope, all of it covered with trees except for the very peak. A few buildings visible near the water’s edge, others further back continuing uphill into the woods.

They drifted to shore, anchored, and disembarked. Robin was eager to explore, but she had to know first. “Zoro, how?”

“I dunno,” Zoro wasn’t sure how to explain what he’d felt. “It’s like we were stuck on a road in the water that kept looping back, but we couldn’t see it.”

Robin considered that answer. “Some peculiar current that exists just around this island, perhaps. Noting the chill in the air, “The waters are cool here, so it might be a warmer current from somewhere else. That could also explain the fog.”

Zoro didn’t know anything about _that_. He’d take her word for it that explained the fog. He followed her into the ruins.

* * *

Robin’s hopes dwindled as they climbed higher. It wasn’t that the island wasn’t interesting. She had never seen so many references to, and representations of, dragons. Carvings, murals (that she wished retained their original colors), a few phrases and folklore inscribed on walls and doors praising them.

“So there are really dragons?” Zoro read of a legendary swordsman in that book on Wano, Ryuuma, who had slain a dragon long ago.

“There are references to them in several cultures, although it isn’t agreed upon whether they truly existed, or if the stories are just ways of explaining other natural phenomena. Some cultures believed eclipses were a dragon eating the sun.” Seeing Zoro’s disappointment, Robin amended her statement. “But it certainly hasn’t been proven they didn’t. I simply don’t know of anyone who found any remains.”

“I’d like to meet one someday.” Robin heard a yearning in his voice she hadn’t heard often. “It would be a good challenge.”

“You’d want to kill it?”

“Not unless it forced me to. Just to test myself. I’d have to be a pretty strong swordsman to defeat a dragon, right?” He smiled in a way that made him look like an excited boy. “Plus, it’d just be cool to see.”

Robin felt herself smile, his excitement reviving her mood. “Perhaps we will find one still living here, then, Mr. Swordsman. Although I doubt we will find it very “cool” if we’re devoured or it incinerates us with fire breath.”

She expected Zoro to indignantly respond he wouldn’t lose like that, but instead he took on a thoughtful expression. “Maybe. There wouldn’t be a lot of people who could say they were killed by a dragon. More interesting than dying in bed.”

Robin laughed. “That might be true, although I imagine it would depend on _whose_ bed you were dying in, and what you were doing at the time.”

She added a sultry smile at the end, and enjoyed watching Zoro duck his head awkwardly. His ears nearly glowed.

* * *

Unfortunately, while all the references to dragons were interesting, they were too old. 

“Too old?”

Robin nodded. “Almost everything here is over one thousand years old. Some of it even older than that. Which makes sense, as it refers to the dragons only returning to a location near here every 1,000 years to breed. There would have to be people here for some time to know that.”

“Wouldn’t older be good? It might tell you places they’d hide important stuff like those glyph things.”

“It’s a slim possibility, but since the Poneglyphs wouldn’t have been created earlier than near the end of the Void Century, it’s unlikely they would use a hiding place that had been known for much longer than that.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“It’s alright, Zoro. It’s still enjoyable to explore this place, since it doesn’t appear anyone has been here in some time.” 

Robin wasn’t sure she really believed herself. The cruel voice crept back in, whispering how she was a failure, how any of the other researchers would have found the answers by now. Her nails cut into her palms as she shut it out forcibly, focusing on her surroundings. She would to learn what she could here, appreciate what was around her.

The farther up the mountain they went, the more the forest dominated. Trees grew from the path they followed, paving stones shoved up and aside with ease. It had surely been an impressive boulevard once. Trees grew inside buildings, limbs finding their way to light through open doorways or windows where they could, growing through ceilings where they couldn’t.

Zoro walked slightly ahead of her until the ground gave way beneath him. He barely had enough time to shout in surprise before his fall was halted by a hand grabbing his. He saw a chain of arms growing from the edge of the hole, Raserei standing behind them, arms crossed.

“Thanks.”

“It’s no trouble, Zoro. Can you pull yourself up?”

What a question. Like he didn’t have enough upper body strength for that. “Of course, but I see an entrance down there. Let me go and I’ll check it out.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yeah, let’s gooooooooooo!” If Zoro hadn’t been busy peering into the depths, he’d have noticed a mischievous tone to Raserei’s voice. Which would have made him look up, where he’d have seen an equally mischievous smile on her face. Since he didn’t, he wasn’t prepared for the hand grasping his to simply vanish in a swirl of petals, as he abruptly plummeted deeper into the cavern.

He managed a moderately graceful landing, rolling to avoid shattering his ankles. He scowled back up towards the sky. “What was that, you crazy woman?!”

“Just helping you train your reflexes, Mr. Roronoa,” said crazy woman responded smoothly as she lowered herself down via another chain of arms. “You said it might make your training more effective if you didn’t know when something was going to happen.”

Zoro huffed and turned away as she removed a light from her bag. _‘When did she get so playful? Is this what happens when she actually gets some rest?’_

“Shall we see what’s here, Zoro?”

* * *

The answer was gold and jewels. Quite a lot of them, actually. A veritable mountain of wealth, simply sitting there. The end of the passageway led to what Robin suspected was the kingdom’s treasury. 

“Kind of weird they didn’t take it when they left, right?” Zoro scratched his head as he scanned the room. “Think it’s booby-trapped?”

“That’s a distinct possibility, Zoro. Why don’t I step out of the room, and you collect some? It can be an experiment.” Robin teased.

Undaunted, the swordsman cracked his knuckles and marched forward. “What should I grab?” he called over his shoulder.

Robin almost said not to bother, but reconsidered. “Just a few coins, perhaps one gem. It might be nice to have an example of their currency.”

“Better step outside then.” When he didn’t move, Robin realized he was waiting for her to do so. She backed up cautiously. They’d both scanned the room carefully for any sign of hidden panels or trap doors and found nothing, but that didn’t make it safe. Robin readied her powers in case the door tried to seal Zoro in, or the ceiling fell.

Zoro reached out with total indifference and scooped up a handful of coins and gems. Nothing happened. He walked back to his partner, handing it over.

“Guess they weren’t that attached to it.” Robin and Zoro turned back the way they came, following the passageway past where Zoro fell in, until it emerged in the remains of a small building halfway down the mountain.

“It’s very strange,” Robin mused. “There’s no sign of a disaster that would have forced them to evacuate without all that wealth, but we haven’t seen the quantity of human remains that would suggest a sudden plague or a war.”

“They decided they didn’t care about it?”

“Perhaps. Or they believed they could return whenever they wanted and take from it as they wished. The room wasn’t filled to capacity, they may have done so in the past.”

“Why stop coming back then?”

“Their descendants may not know it’s there. The story and location may have been lost. Or, they all died in the new place they settled.”

They’d reached _Pipit_ by this point, and climbed aboard. “Are there mysteries like this all over? People that vanished and nobody knows why?”

Robin nodded as she took the helm. “There are many islands that have never been studied, an untold number for which no record exists. It would take a person a long time to untangle all their secrets.”

“Then we better find the answer you’re looking for so you can get started on all the other questions.”

Robin arched one eyebrow. “That’s quite a lot of pressure to place on me, Mr. Swordsman.”

Zoro shrugged. “But you appreciate a challenge, right Miss Archaeologist?”

They sailed back into the fog, darker than before. It wasn’t long before they felt one of the strange currents take hold of their craft, carrying them where it wished. Within minutes, they burst from the fog into open ocean. The sun was on the horizon, sinking lower every second, the sky above already turning a deep purple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's discussion of foreshadowing is in no way meant to imply there is any important foreshadowing going on in this chapter. Definitely not. I just thought it would be a funny concept for Zoro to misinterpret. Totally innocent.
> 
> Next time, Zoro and Robin reach a new island, and we start a multi-chapter arc of sorts.


	18. An Island with Something for Everyone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro arrive at Papillion Island. Robin's got her eyes set on some information, and Zoro might just find himself a challenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the first real multi-chapter arc of the story! I guess Cozia sort of counts, but I like this one better, so hopefully you'll enjoy it.

“So what’s this place called? Popup Island?”

“ _Papillion_ Isle, Zoro.”

“Which means what?”

“Butterfly, I believe.”

The swordsman scanned the island as they sailed towards it. It consisted of three low hills, the one in the center the tallest. On either side of the hills, the ground flattened out immediately into wide, rusty orange scrubland. 

The small city they were approaching sat at the north end of the island, clustered around and upon the hill there. Two smaller points of land jutted from the waves ahead of the island, sentinels standing guard. As _Pipit_ sailed past, the soldiers manning cannons in the small forts on either outcropping tracked their progress. Each fort was connected to the city by a thin isthmus that was perhaps 10 feet above the waves.

As they docked, Zoro continued to check their surroundings. “I don’t see any butterflies. Are they out of season?”

“The name refers to the shape of the island.” 

Zoro looked at Robin skeptically as he hopped onto the dock. “It didn’t look like a butterfly at all. Are you messing with me?”

“It does if you view it from the air, supposedly.”

“How would they know that?”

“Perhaps a Zoan Devil Fruit user?” At Zoro’s confused expression, Robin elaborated. “Zoans have powers that allow them to assume a particular animal form. A hawk, or a stork, for example.”

Zoro digested this information silently as they made their way into town. He needed to ask Raserei for more information about Devil Fruits. She and Jolene were the only two he’d encountered so far. Setting that aside, “So we aren’t here to look at butterflies. Are we after a bounty?” 

He glanced at the wall of a warehouse as they walked past. Plastered on the side was a wanted poster for a “Le Renard”. 7 million Beris, issued by the Papillion Kingdom. The picture wasn’t much use. The vague outline of a figure nimbly clearing the space between two rooftops. The wide-brimmed hat with a feather sticking out of it shadowed their face. A cape or something trailed behind. There was something jutting from their hip that could be a sword, though, and Zoro perked up at that.

“No, although I see you’ve already found a possible quarry,” Robin responded cheerfully. “There’s a landowner and ostrich rancher here, Champ du Rene. He’s said to have an impressive collection of books. I’m hoping to find an opportunity to peruse his library.”

“Uh-huh,” Zoro replied doubtfully. “If this guy is a bigshot, how are you planning that? We look like a couple of drifters.” Zoro glanced down at his own clothes. His white shirt and dark pants were clean (relatively), but distinctly plain and getting threadbare. He knew the soles of his boots were wearing thin. He was sure Robin’s outfit beneath the cloak she wore around her shoulders was in better shape. But he was also sure it wouldn’t pass with the snobs he’d found most wealthy guys to be.

“We have more than enough money to solve that problem, Zoro.” 

“Halt one moment, please,” called a voice from behind them. They turned to see a pair of soldiers. Not Marines, as their outfits were mostly a deep blue with white striping and red sashes across the waist. The one who spoke was about Zoro’s height, but considerably bulkier, shaped like a barrel. His horseshoe mustache appeared to have wilted in the summer heat. His subordinate was closer to Robin’s height, of average build, with a narrow mustache that only went as far as the edges of his lips.

“Who’s asking?”

At Zoro’s challenge, the two took a cautious step back. The larger man gulped, summoning his courage to step forward again. “Lieutenant Marcel, of the Papillion Kingdom’s Royal Army. All new arrivals must check in at headquarters to declare their intention.”

“Of course,” Robin answered politely. “We have no interest in breaking the law. We simply did not notice anything posted telling us that.”

Marcel turned to his partner. “See Sergeant Durant, I told you, you needed to get those signs posted!”

“But Lieutenant, you also told me I needed to get your paperwork done. . .”

The Lieutenant startled at this statement and grew flustered. He spluttered, “Don’t tell me what I told you to do earlier, do what I’m telling you to do now!”

The sergeant shrugged. “OK, Lieutenant.” He turned and headed the way Robin and Zoro had come from.

Lieutenant Marcel turned back to the others. “Follow me, please.” As they walked, he chattered pleasantly. “So what brings you to the town of Magnifique?”

“We need to resupply.” Robin replied. “We have been at sea for two weeks now. My partner also noted we may need to purchase some new clothes.”

Marcel cast a look over his shoulder at them, frowning at Zoro’s well-worn garb. “Yes, I can see your friend is certainly in need.” When Zoro scowled, he amended, “Well, we certainly have many stores to accommodate you. Les Anges might do well for you, dear lady, and Le Cygne will I’m sure have something for him.”

Zoro glanced over at Robin as she chuckled. “What’s funny?”

“Fufufu. I’m picturing you as a swan, Zoro. I think ruffled collars will look good on you.”

“Like hell I’m wearing that! It’ll just get cut off when I’m fighting!” She only laughed harder.

Marcel watched them in confusion as they marched through the large wooden gate into the main headquarters. “Um, yes. There are several rules you will be expected to follow while you are in this kingdom. There is a 9 o’clock curfew, no exceptions. Speaking out against the King, or his representative the Regent, is expressly forbidden, under penalty of imprisonment. You would not wish to end up like those unfortunate people.”

The lieutenant gestured to several people in cells against the far wall of the compound. When they saw him, they began rattling the bars and jeering. “Let us out you coward!” “Bastard!” “Bootlicker!”

The soldier visibly shrank under the verbal onslaught. “Please, I cannot let you out until your sentence has been served. I am sorry!”

One woman with sharp yellow eyes and tightly curled dark hair noticed Robin and Zoro. “You two had better get back on your boat and leave! Otherwise, the Regent will make up some new excuse to jail you so he can steal your property!”

“I promise you, Alicia, no one is stealing your land!”

“How can I make money to pay taxes while I’m in jail?!”

The lieutenant gave up trying to placate them and ushered his guests into his office. He settled heavily behind his desk and sighed. “This job. . . Well, I will need you to sign your names in this register, along with how long you intend to stay.” As they filled out the page, he added, “And I will need to confiscate your swords, sir.”

Zoro went absolutely still. He had been staring down absently at the page he was signing, but now his head tilted back until his eyes were level with Marcel’s. Nervously, the soldier added, “Please?”

“You can have them if you can take them. If you fail, you’ll be dead.”

Marcel’s eyes widened and his mouth hung open slightly, too shocked to react otherwise. Then he grew indignant. “See here, Mister. . .” he grabbed the register to see this impertinent man’s name, “Roronoa, I will not be-“

He paused mid-sentence as his eyes bulged, then stared at the page before him. Then up to the green-haired man glaring coldly. Back to the page. Up to the face. The page. Then to the three swords on Zoro’s hip.

“You, you are _Pirate Hunter Zoro?!_ ” The lieutenant stood up so fast his solid oak chair fell backwards to the floor with a bang. He was so eager to back up he almost fell over it.

“I never called myself a pirate hunter,” Zoro huffed, annoyed as usual at his nickname, “but yeah, that’s me.”

“Then, you are here to collect the reward on Le Renard?”

“If I say yes are you gonna stop trying to take my swords?” Zoro didn’t really want to fight this guy. He didn’t look like he was worth the trouble.

“Of course! Give me just one moment to write a pass for you!” Marcel righted his chair and grabbed a pen and paper. Zoro leaned next to the window where his partner stood, staring out at the cells with a tight expression on her face. She noticed him watching her, and tried to smile pleasantly, but it was a tight smile that extended no farther than her mouth. Compared to her lighter mood earlier, it only highlighted how uncomfortable she was.

Shortly, the lieutenant finished the official pass for Zoro, and led them out into the main parade grounds. The prisoners began jeering again.

“It would seem you are not very popular with your guests, Lieutenant?”

Two people walked swiftly towards them. One a tall, well-built man with a thin mustache and short, well-kept hair. He was dressed in a fine jacket and slacks, the golden trim gleaming brightly in the midday sun. He carried a book under one arm and wore a bright smile.

Next to him was a young woman with dark hair done up in an elaborate bun, carrying an elegant violet parasol, closed despite the bright sunlight, over her shoulder with one hand, while the other kept the hem of her dress from trailing through the dusty courtyard. While her face was slimmer, with a less prominent jawline, their similar almond-colored eyes and narrow, slightly upturned noses suggested they were siblings.

Despite the jab, Lieutenant Marcel’s expression brightened immediately. “Sir Alexandre! Lady Isabellae! How good to see you!” His smile vanished just as swiftly. “Yes, unfortunately the new edict from the Regent has meant many people are locked up.”

Alexandre nodded, placing one finger across his chin in an appearance of thoughtfulness. “Ah, yes, our good friend Regent Greenleaf. Still hoping to make himself beloved by force.” 

“Indeed, although to tell you the truth, I do not think it is working as well as he would like. Quite the opposite.”

While this conversation went on, Robin and Zoro moved to wait at the gates. Robin noticed the young woman approach the cells silently. She spoke quietly with one of the prisoners, the woman who had been yelling at Marcel earlier.

Meanwhile, Alexandre was still chatting with the soldier. He suddenly snapped his fingers. “I tell you what, Lieutenant. I will pay their bail. That way you won’t have them causing such a fuss.”

“Brother! You can’t go throwing around Father’s money so recklessly!” Isabellae scolded, as she returned to her brother’s side, minus her parasol.

“Come now, sister, this is wrong. These are our friends, we should help them.”

The young woman was unmoved, raising her chin so she could appear to look down on her taller brother. “If you wish to help them, you should make an entreaty to Regent Greenleaf to release them.”

“I wish you would, Alexandre,” Marcel interjected. “Because sadly, there is no bail. There are to be held until their sentence is served.” He lowered his voice, although not so much Robin and Zoro couldn’t hear. “They are meant to serve as bait to capture Le Renard.”

The prisoners heard him, too. Outraged cries rose up again. “See? We are imprisoned unlawfully! Bullies! Scum!”

Alexandre stepped between the lieutenant and the shouts. “Everyone, please! This will not help! I promise I will go straight home, and write a firm letter to the Regent, asking him to reconsider this policy!” This prompted a round of boos, and the young man shrugged helplessly. His sister rolled her eyes and grabbed his elbow.

“Come along, brother. You are supposed to be escorting me to Ferdinand’s home.”

“Of course, sister. But wait, where is your parasol?”

“Here it is,” Marcel offered the open umbrella. “How did it get near the cells?”

“I sat it down because it was growing heavy. The wind must have blown it over there. Would you carry it for me, Lieutenant?”

“Of course! I would be only too happy!” The soldier beamed as the trio headed for the gates.

“Lieutenant,” Robin called. “Weren’t you going to direct us to an inn?”

Marcel groaned. “I had forgotten, Miss Gespenst. My apologies. If you travel down this road, and take the second left, you will find an inn. The finest in the city of Magnifique!”

“It is the _only_ inn in Magnifique, Lieutenant,” Isabellae pointed out. “We are running late.”

Alexandre, on the other hand, only had eyes for Robin. “Just one moment, dear sister. I would like to make the acquaintance of this lovely woman. I am Champ du Alexandre, at your service.” He bowed low with a flourish of his arm.

Robin smiled politely, suppressing a surge of excitement at the man’s name, if not his gesture. “Champ du Alexandre? Are you perhaps from the great family of ostrich ranchers?”

“The only son, my lovely. You certainly have come to a town in need of your beauty, although I imagine most any place could say the same.” He gave her a brilliant smile as he straightened up. Robin couldn’t tell if he was being sincere, but kept a neutral smile on her face. 

“Miss Gespenst is here with the famous bounty hunter Roronoa Zoro!” Lieutenant Marcel explained proudly, as if it was his doing.

“The Pirate Hunter?” Isabellae inquired.

“The very same, although he does not like that title,” Robin answered, turning over her shoulder to introduce him. There was no one there.

“Ah, Miss Gespenst, I believe Mister Roronoa went on without you,” the lieutenant offered helpfully. “Although he turned _right_ at the second street.”

“Then I had better get after him before he ends up in the ocean somehow. Thank you for your assistance, Lieutenant Marcel. Mister and Missus du Champ, it was very nice to meet both of you.”

Isabellae didn’t respond, the look in her eyes guarded, while Alexandre bowed again.

“I hope that I will be able to speak with you again, Miss Gespenst. In fact, if you require someone to-urk!”

The young man let out an undignified squawk as his sister grabbed him by the collar and began dragging him away, scolding as they went.

“You are meant to be _my_ chaperone, not the other way around!”

“But, dear sister, I’m certain you and Ferdinand would be more comfortable without me around.”

“Imbecile! Do you think his mother will even let me in the door, unescorted?!”

* * *

It took a few minutes, but Robin found Zoro a few streets away, in a dead end alley, scratching his head and grumbling about terrible directions. That problem solved, it wasn’t any trouble to find the inn Lieutenant Marcel spoke of.

It was an older two-story building, stucco exterior. It had clearly been painted garishly, probably to resemble a butterfly’s coloration, at one point long ago. Now, though, the colors were faded in the bright sunshine to something less eye-searing. It helped, but Robin could tell the colors were badly mismatched.

Inside, the ground floor was a restaurant, or perhaps a tavern, since most of the customers appeared to be on a liquid diet. A few faces rose to watch them. Robin saw their eyes flick to Zoro’s swords, then the swordsman’s eyes. Each patron decided their drinks were a safer subject of study.

The bartender also ran the register, and confirmed there was one room available. However, he failed to mention it had only one bed. They stared at it a moment, before Zoro shrugged and tossed his pack in a corner and settled in a large chair around a table that, despite its obvious years, had been well cared for.

“So, what’s next?” Zoro asked, leaning back, balancing with one heel on top of the table.

“I think we could take some time to run errands. Purchase some clothes, learn about our surroundings. Did you have something in mind?” 

Zoro stared out the window in the direction of the garrison. “I want to find out what we can about this Le Renard.”

“We can ask questions as we scout.”

“Let’s stake out the garrison. If they’re so sure this outlaw will show up tonight, it’s a good chance to see them in action.”

* * *

Night fell slowly over the town, the final orange rays lingering over the streets and rooftops like a slow kiss from the sun.

The townspeople were not eager to speak of Le Renard, at least not with Robin or Zoro. Especially not with Zoro. Word got around the infamous bounty hunter was in town. Robin wondered if that was Lieutenant Marcel’s doing, or simply a by-product of that informal information network close-knit communities seem to have.

“Of course, that in itself tells us something,” she explained as they made their way to an alley across from the garrison’s gates.

“That the people like Le Renard?”

“Exactly. The people aren’t afraid to speak about Le Renard, they choose not to.”

They settled into comfortable silence as they waited in the shadows. The moon rose in the still air as they ate a few sandwiches they’d brought along for dinner. An hour later, the town crier roamed the streets informing everyone curfew was in effect. By then, the duo sat crouched on the roof of one of the buildings. 

Near midnight, Robin tapped Zoro on the shoulder. The swordsman was seemingly asleep, feet propped against the edge of the roof, but came instantly alert at her signal. His eyes found hers, and followed their gaze as a lean, shadowy figure leapt from a dark ostrich to the top of the garrison wall in one bound. The figure crouched there, then dropped inside.

Soldiers patrolled, but Le Renard subdued them easily, despite all the soldiers being much larger. The outlaw moved swiftly and silently, striking without warning.

With only one guard left, it seemed their target made a mistake. The soldier caught sight of a shadow pushing one of the gates open and raised their rifle. The bullet missed, but the garrison was now a hive of activity. Soldiers poured out of their barracks, trying to draw swords or firearms while buckling their pants. The prisoners began to simultaneously cheer the outlaw and mock the soldiers.

“Le Renard!” The voice of Lieutenant Marcel rang out.

“It is good to see you, Lieutenant. I was growing so lonely with all your sentries having fallen asleep!” The outlaw had a high-spirited, teasing laugh.

“You are my prisoner, Le Renard. You must surrender.”

The outlaw seemed amused by this. “The terms are the same as always, Lieutenant. You will have to capture me yourself.” Le Renard drew a rapier. “Certainly with all these men here you are capable of that?”

“Of, of course I am!” The soldier hesitated, then actually halted one of his men who began to step forward. The lieutenant raised his blade and advanced gingerly. He took a half-hearted swing, and Robin could almost feel Zoro’s teeth grinding.

Le Renard’s sword drooped as she easily evaded the paltry attacks. “It is hardly any fun if you won’t play, Lieutenant.” She shrugged. “I suppose I will take my leave.”

“You cannot leave, you are under arrest,” Lieutenant Marcel spoke as if talking to a silly child. A silly child who wasn’t there any longer, because Le Renard stood outside the garrison now, just past the gates.

“Really? And yet here I stand, free as I please.” At her whistle, the ostrich dashed past and Le Renard easily hopped into its saddle. The soldiers stood surprised for a moment, then began rushing to their own mounts and giving chase.

Robin and Zoro watched the clouds of dust marking the pursuit as it left town and wound its way into the hills. Zoro huffed. “That was kind of a bust.” 

He turned to leave, but Robin caught his arm. “Wait a moment longer Zoro. I suspect things aren’t done yet.”

Shortly, a series of small explosions rang out from the garrison. All the prisoners came pouring out of their cells, grabbing the weapons of the still-unconscious sentries. Once out of the garrison and on the streets, they scattered in all directions.

“How’d they manage that? Le Renard never went near the cells.”

Robin smiled. “I believe our outlaw knows the benefits of preparation.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Papillion is French for butterfly, which I know because of an old Steve McQueen movie about a real-life safecracker that kept trying to escape from one of those legendarily awful French prisons in the tropics. The idea is the island looks like a children's book drawing of a butterfly from above. The hills are the different segments of the body, the plains are the wings, the little spit of land the fortresses sit on are the ends of the antennae.
> 
> Renard is French for fox.
> 
> Next time, a few more players enter the fray, Zoro tries to be helpful, and some violence. Because I haven't written a fight scene in like 7 chapters and I'm going into withdrawal.


	19. Opening Moves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro just wants to have breakfast in peace, but everyone's gotta stop by and chat.
> 
> Robin wishes Zoro would be just a bit less helpful.
> 
> Robin gets her first look at the du Champ library. Zoro's gets his first crack at Le Renard.

Come the next morning, Zoro found himself experiencing a moment of regret. Raserei helped him train for a few hours every day during their journey from the island in the fog to Papillion – although Zoro tried to cut back to avoid the risk of exhausting her; she insisted it wasn’t a problem, but he was pretty sure she wouldn’t admit it if it was – but didn’t feel he was making any progress. He still couldn’t tell where the next pebble would come from. 

(One day, he dodged a couple when she made the mistake of holding several pebbles in the hand that was going to throw. He heard their scrape and clatter against each other, and reacted. She recognized her mistake immediately, and that hadn’t worked since. It was a little spooky, actually, how good Raserei was at being silent.)

The training wasn’t a total bust. Zoro knew his strength and balance were still improving, and felt more in tune with his swords. But until he could find a way to pick out threats among his surroundings, he would hold to his promise to deny himself alcohol.

Which lead to the regret, as it turned out most people on Papillion had wine with breakfast. At least, anyone who ate at the inn did, if the barmaid’s reaction to his request for water was any indication.

On top of that, he hadn’t slept well last night. Sneaking back into their room after the jail break had been no problem. There wasn’t anyone enforcing this curfew that they could see. 

The issue had been the single bed. Zoro was fine sleeping on the floor, or in one of the chairs, but Raserei insisted the bed was large enough they could each have half. He would have declined, but it was obvious she was trying to be nice. Another show of trust.

Problem was, the bed was too soft. The outside of this place might look like shit, but they clearly liked their furniture to be high-quality. Zoro practically sank into the mattress, which felt weird after mostly sleeping on _Pipit's_ deck or on the ground for the last couple years. Like falling asleep in quicksand. He could deal with it, of course. He wasn’t going to be defeated by a damn bed. It just didn’t make for a restful night for him.

(Raserei didn’t seem to mind. She’d still been awake when he fell asleep, as usual. But when he awoke near dawn, he found her curled on her side, facing towards him, sleeping soundly. He thought she’d been sleeping a little better recently. She didn’t look as tired on the trip here, at least. He counted that as a win.)

All things considered, Zoro wasn’t in the best mood for dealing with cheerful morning people. His partner got that, content to eat in silence next to him. 

The annoying lieutenant did not.

“Miss Gespenst, Mister Roronoa, good morning!” Lieutenant Marcel’s voice boomed as he moved their way.

“Good morning to you, Lieutenant. Would you care to join us?” Raserei was polite as always, Zoro noted. He was fine leaving the pleasantries to her.

“That is so very gracious of you!” Marcel settled across from them, but noticing their drinks, grew confused. “Were they out of wine?”

“I prefer coffee in the morning,” she replied. Judging by her grimace after the first sip, she wasn’t a fan of what was available. “Zoro has barred himself from alcohol while he trains. How did your trap for Le Renard fare last night?”

This was clearly an uncomfortable topic. The lieutenant’s fingers fiddled nervously. “Well, it was a brilliant trap, but Le Renard foiled our plan by running away! We were unprepared for that.”

“Ah, I’m sorry to hear so. But you still have your prisoners. I’m sure you can try again.”

Marcel scanned the other patrons, then gestured for the two to lean closer. “Actually,” he whispered, “while we pursued that outlaw, the prisoners somehow escaped. I do not know how they managed it.” He didn’t sound broken up about it.

“There you are, Lieutenant!” Alexandre stood in the entrance, along with an older gentleman dressed similarly. The elder’s nose was a bit broader, and he sported a neatly trimmed, curly silver beard. He was a head shorter than Alexandre, but the color of his eyes and cheekbones suggested a relation.

They made their way to the table, the younger man beaming a friendly smile full of mirth, the older man a step behind, a prominent limp in his right leg. Alexandre’s eyes lit up when he noticed Marcel’s company, while his elder’s narrowed. “I expected you would be out scouring the countryside for the people who escaped?”

“I have a few men doing so, Sir Alexandre,” Marcel admitted, “but I felt it was more important to oversee repair of the damage to the cell doors. Also, some of the men complained of headaches, so I am giving them time to recover.”

The young man nodded sympathetically. “Ah yes, these seasonal allergies are a problem, aren’t they?”

His companion huffed in irritation. “What the lieutenant is saying, my son, is that his soldiers were concussed by that outlaw, Le Renard!”

Alexandre gasped in exaggerated horror. “Is this true, Lieutenant?”

“Yes, it is. I don’t believe they are serious injuries, but it would be dangerous for them to roam the hills in such a condition.”

“Then perhaps you should be out searching yourself, instead of sitting here chatting up vagabonds, Lieutenant. Or should it be Sergeant?” an acrid, snotty voice cut in.

Apparently _everyone_ was going to have their chitchat around Zoro this morning. Swell. 

Yet another well-dressed man stood at the entrance, two stone-faced soldiers flanking him. Their uniforms were a little different than Marcel’s, Zoro noted, fancier-looking markings on the shoulders. The man wore a top hat to go with his suit jacket, and a neatly trimmed Vandyke beard, one in a deep shade of forest green, much darker than Zoro’s hair. He approached on sharp angry strides, shoes clicking prominently against the clay tiles. None of the other customers would even make eye contact, although most cast unfriendly looks at his back.

He stopped at the table, glare fixed on the lieutenant, who had snapped to attention and was staring straight ahead, practically trembling. “Well, Lieutenant? What is your explanation for this dereliction of duty?”

“I was merely taking a brief rest before resuming the search, Regent Greenleaf!” the man nearly shouted. “I was out leading the pursuit of Le Renard all night, sir!”

“And in that you are also a failure,” the contempt in the regent’s voice struck Marcel like a physical blow.

“Come now, Regent Greenleaf, I’m sure Lieutenant Marcel is making all possible efforts to capture that dangerous outlaw,” Alexandre soothed.

“Hardly.” Zoro’s scoff drew all eyes to him. 

The regent’s brows furrowed as he noticed the weapons at Zoro’s hip. “Lieutenant, why is this man still carrying weapons? Soldiers, confiscate those swords!“ 

The two men moved to comply, until their eyes met Zoro’s. They froze in mid-step, trembling. The bounty hunter’s gaze shifted from them to the regent. Against his will, the man stepped back.

“What is with assholes in uniforms on this island trying to take my swords? I told him yesterday, if you can kill me you can have them.”

Raserei intervened before things escalated further. “If I may, Regent Greenleaf, Zoro has a pass from the lieutenant authorizing him to carry his swords, since he intends to pursue Le Renard.”

“We do not require the assistance of bounty hunters!” Alexandre’s father cried. “Le Renard is our problem, and one we can deal with ourselves.”

“I don’t know how you figure that’s gonna happen. Your soldiers won’t even fight her seriously,” Zoro retorted. “She clearly won’t just give up.”

“We cannot fight her!” the lieutenant exclaimed. “It would be dishonorable. There are, uh, many of us, and only one of her.”

Zoro fixed Marcel with an even harsher look than he’d given the regent. “You treating her like she isn’t worth your time is what’s dishonorable. She raised her blade at you, you fight her like she’s any other opponent.”

“There isn’t any need for fighting at all,” Alexandre retorted. “Le Renard is acting in response to the dissatisfaction of the people. If their concerns were addressed, she would likely go away. Instead, the people are thrown in jail, which only stirs further unrest.”

“Careful, young du Champ, that could be read as an attack on my character.” The Regent eyed Alexandre suspiciously.

“Why Regent, I would never attack something I knew so little about,” Alexandre replied innocently. “For example, I was not even aware of the existence of your character!”

The regent’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared, but Alexandre’s father stepped in. “My son, you forget yourself! Apologize to the regent immediately!”

“You’re right of course, father. My apologies, sir. I am rather tired, and it must have caused my tongue to become confused.” He offered a short bow.

“Yes, I’m sure you grow quite weary sitting around playing the mandolin and reading poetry all day.”

“It’s the thoughts of _who_ I read and play for that keep me awake,” Alexandre responded smoothly, winking at Robin. She smiled politely, while Zoro wondered how often he used that line.

The regent’s lip curled in disgust. He turned to face Zoro, who hadn’t taken his hands off his swords yet. “Mr. Roronoa, I hope you have success in your pursuit of Le Renard. You’ll be handsomely rewarded if you do.”

“I know,” Zoro replied evenly, earlier hostility now entirely absent. “I’m aware of the bounty, but I could use additional incentive.”

“You see, this man is already trying to extort us!” Alexandre’s father shouted, gesturing wildly. Guy liked to talk with his whole body.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” the regent answered, unmoved. “What is it you’re requesting?”

“Miss Gespenst,” he gestured to her, “is a lover of books. Especially older books. There’s a rancher on this island, a Mister Champ du Rene. His library is famous. Give her access to it. All of it.”

The regent blinked in surprise a few times, head swiveling back and forth between the pair. He turned to Alexandre’s father. “Well, what do you say, du Champ?”

The man in question was studying the bounty hunters closely, but at the question, his expression shifted to outrage, face reddening in an instant. “Absolutely not! I have already stated my opposition to relying on a man who kills for money, so I will certainly not assist him!”

Robin tried to shake off her own surprise. At Zoro’s request, and the oddly formal way he phrased it. This was not the best way to handle things, but she could address that with him later. For now, she felt compelled to defend her partner. 

“If I may, Mister du Champ, Zoro has not killed anyone who did not force him to do so by refusing to surrender. If Le Renard is willing to surrender after being defeated, then she will certainly not be killed by him.”

Rene was not impressed. “I should take the word of a woman who would willingly travel with such a man?”

Lieutenant Marcel, who spent the last several minutes doing his best to be invisible, and looking as though he’d rather be anywhere else, could not hold back. “Sir du Champ, that is hardly a polite thing to say!”

Before the rancher could respond, his son stepped in. “Lieutenant Marcel is correct, Father. You do not know Miss Gespenst, so you have no grounds to cast aspersions on her character.”

“And I think it is not her _character_ that you are interested in, Alexandre!” Rene du Champ stormed out. At least that was one pain in the ass gone, Zoro, thought. Even if it was apparently the pain in the ass Raserei needed.

The Regent just seemed entertained by the whole thing. “Mister Roronoa, I will bring the matter up with the other prominent citizens of our community. I’m sure they can convince Rene to see reason. I wish you good hunting.” He turned to leave. “Lieutenant!”

“Yes, Regent!” Marcel snapped to attention so sharply, Zoro thought he heard the man’s back crack like a gunshot.

“Get your carcass into the hills and find those escaped prisoners! I want them all rounded up and back in jail by sundown!”

Marcel muttered a crestfallen, “Yes, Regent,” and followed the man out the door, the two soldiers trailing them both.

“Miss Gespenst, Mister Roronoa, I would like to apologize for my father,” Alexandre said, bowing as he did, far deeper than he did to the Regent. “He is accustomed to having control, and this whole thing with Le Renard seems beyond that. It frustrates him.”

“You don’t have to apologize for him, Mister du Champ,” Robin responded. “I have heard far worse in my time.”

“It pains me to learn that. If you would like, I could show you our library.”

“Really? Won’t your father object?”

“Most likely, if he learns of it, but I suspect Regent Greenleaf will convince the other ranchers to pressure him. It won’t work, but it will keep him occupied arguing.” The young man grinned conspiratorially. “He loves that.”

“Then I gladly accept, although I will need some time to prepare.” Robin just hoped she’d be able to do some real research, rather than spend all her time fending off Alexandre’s advances.

“Of course!” Alexandre agreed. “If I may, I might suggest more formal attire. My father unfortunately sometimes bases his estimation of a person’s worth on their clothing. I will return with a carriage this evening, if you’d like, since I’m sure Mister Roronoa will be busy hunting Le Renard by then.”

With that, he bowed again and departed, seeking his father before the old man returned home without him.

* * *

Robin turned to Zoro immediately. “What was that about?”

The bounty hunter’s focus was already back on breakfast. His eyebrows raised in confusion, cheeks stuffed with food. “What?”

“Asking to let me into du Champ’s library. And I’ve never heard you speak to anyone so formally.” The only exception being when he gave his word to keep the secret of her abilities, but she didn’t exactly want to mention that out loud.

“That’s how you have to talk to guys like that. Kiss their asses with flowery talk. Use big words when smaller ones work fine.” Zoro was still confused. “And his library is what you’re interested in, right? I’m trying to help.”

“I prefer to exercise a little more discretion. There are ways to gain access to the library without appearing to be interested in it.”

“Like letting that guy paw at you?” There was a harshness to Zoro’s tone that grabbed Robin’s attention like a hook.

She fixed him with a searching look. “Does the idea of Alexandre doing so bother you, Zoro?”

If she thought he’d get flustered and deny it, she was wrong. “Somebody thinking he can get grabby with my partner because he shows her some books? Yeah, it does. If I’m busy fighting Le Renard I’m not going to be there to keep him off you.”

Of course his protectiveness would extend that far. “I’m quite capable of taking care of myself.”

“I know you are. Think he’ll let you keep using the library if you break his wrist?” Zoro shot back, eyes flashing.

“I hardly think that will be necessary.”

“I wouldn’t trust this idea of honor the lieutenant was going on about. Alexandre wouldn’t be the first of those gentlemen types I’ve seen that was ugly under the surface.”

“I was thinking more I can use a pressure point to discreetly knock him unconscious, but your concern is noted.” Trying to lighten the mood, she asked, “Or are you jealous, Zoro?”

For a moment, she saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes, or possibly panic, but it vanished behind his normal stern expression. “Of course not. Just trying to look after my partner.”

He rose from the table. “I’m gonna go train. You better go find something fancy for your visit.” He walked out of the tavern and into the street, tossing a few Beri on the table.

* * *

Alexandre arrived at the inn shortly before dusk. He rode in a two-wheeled buggy, drawn by a single large ostrich, brilliant orange tail plume contrasting the deep tan of its wings and torso. Robin had been relaxing in her room next to the window, and swiftly made her way downstairs. That familiar excitement she felt at the opportunity to learn bubbled in her chest, heartbeat picking up with anticipation.

Alexandre greeted her cheerfully, offering his hand to help her into the buggy. Robin accepted, as the elaborate dress she’d purchased to match the prevailing fashions in town restricted her movements. She quite liked the deep blue jacket, and the black boots weren’t bad, sturdy but attractive, but all the fabric would make moving quickly a chore.

Alexandre chatted aimlessly as they made their way through town and into the surrounding scrubland. Robin watched the landscape pass by in the fading light, offering polite responses when appropriate.

“Am I boring you, Miss Gespenst?”

“Not at all. I was just enjoying the scenery.” Really, her mind was racing at the thought of what she might find in the library, but she wasn't oblivious to her surroundings. She never was.

“Really? Most visitors find it barren and depressing.”

The landscape in question was flat, open ground with scattered shrubs and bushes growing from rocky orange soil. The few trees visible were short, gnarled things that maintained a healthy distance from each other.

“It appears a difficult climate to survive in, but that makes what life persists more impressive, don’t you think? Only the hardiest could succeed. I have an affection for survivors.”

Alexandre surveyed the land as if seeing it for the first time. “My father described it in such terms once. You’re the only other to do so. For myself, I find the vast plain makes for a lovely view at sunset. My sister says sunrise is even better. I confess I rarely wake that early.”

Shortly they arrived at the du Champ ranch, the house a low clay building, a few sections with two levels, that sprawled across the property. They stepped from the buggy as Alexandre handed the reins to a waiting servant.

“Pate, is my father in the house?”

“No, the other ranchers called him away for a meeting a few hours ago.”

“Ah, very good. Miss Gespenst and I will be in the library, will you send someone to notify me when my father returns?”

“Of course, Sir Alexandre. Your sister is also in the library. She seems quite cross.”

* * *

“Cross” might have been an understatement. Isabellae slouched at a harpsichord, plinking at the keys in a desultory fashion when Alexandre and Robin entered. She initially straightened up and began playing more seriously, but once she saw her brother, leapt to her feet and stormed towards them.

“I was supposed to attend dinner at Ferdinand’s house, which meant you were supposed to attend it with me! I had to send a messenger with a polite apology! You know how snippy his mother will be the next time I visit!”

Alexandre held up his hands in a placating gesture while taking a step back as the irate girl jabbed a finger repeatedly in his direction. “My apologies, sister. I had forgotten in my eagerness to show our library to Miss Gespenst.”

“Ah yes, the bounty hunter’s. . . partner.” She turned to Robin, who had already begun scanning the shelves and grabbing volumes that interested her. “I imagine this is the most books you’ve ever seen in one place.”

“No. It may be in the top 5.” Robin paused and scanned the room, as if doing a quick count. “Hmm, perhaps not. Certainly in the top 10, though.”

Isabellae’s mouth dropped open while her brother tried hard to stifle his laughter when she shot a glare at him. Robin offered an olive branch. “But you have some extremely rare tomes here. Serpico’s _Analysis of Montblanc’s Tales_ is not something one encounters often.”

The young woman’s expression may have loosened, just a fraction. “Our father traveled widely before he settled here. He hardly ever reads them, though.”

“I would imagine running his ranch is quite time-consuming, and Alexandre tells me he is quite preoccupied with this Le Renard.” Robin could read and make polite conversation at the same time, and if she could befriend Isabellae, perhaps the girl would act as a buffer against her brother.

At that moment, a different servant, a middle-aged woman, knocked lightly on the open door. “Sir Alexandre, I was asked to inform you that your father has just arrived.”

“Dear sister, will you keep Miss Gespenst company while I greet father?”

“Divert him from your treachery, you mean. I know he does not want _her_ here.” She jabbed a finger in Robin’s direction. Alexandre caught her hand to stop her. “He’s been extremely vocal about it all afternoon, raging about Regent Greenleaf’s temerity.”

Alexandre drew his sister towards the hallway and whispered, while still being loud enough so Robin could hear him argue on her behalf. “Yes, yes, Bella, you are absolutely correct. I’m an incorrigible cad, and I will make a full apology to Miss Escalero as to how it was **my** fault you missed dinner, if you will only play nice with my guest.” There was a pause. “ _Please?_ ”

Robin heard an exasperated huff. “Of course, Andre. Now go swiftly. I can hear Father clomping down the hall.”

Alexandre’s footsteps hurried away as Isabellae re-entered the room. She settled herself on a couch, watching silently as Robin scanned the book in front of her swiftly, pencil scribbling down notes of anything of interest.

“If you are hoping to find some clue that will let you capture Le Renard in there, I believe you are doomed to disappointment.”

Robin didn’t even look up. “That’s not my interest. Zoro is the one who wishes to challenge Le Renard.”

“Challenge?” Isabellae laughed mockingly. “Father seems certain he is here to kill that notorious outlaw. Which is what the soldiers would do if they ever caught her, so I hardly see why it matters.”

“I tried explaining to your father that Zoro would only kill if there was no other choice, but he did not seem inclined to take my word for it.”

“And yet he intends to help Lieutenant Marcel round up the prisoners who escaped last night.”

At that, Robin looked up in confusion. “Who told you that?”

“It is all the ranch hands and servants have been talking about. The Pirate Hunter was seen leaving town this morning.”

Robin smiled. “Alone?”

“I suppose. Why?”

“He was going to train where he wouldn’t be disturbed. If he encountered any prisoners, it would be purely by chance. So long as they did not attack him, he wouldn’t be interested. Besides, I wasn’t aware Lieutenant Marcel had any success finding them.”

“Regent Greenleaf told the lieutenant and his men to seize their homes and burn them. Several of their neighbors tried to defend their homes for them, and were arrested for their trouble.”

“Then I imagine Le Renard will act to save them.” Robin placed the first book back on the shelves and turned to the next.

Isabellae’s lip curled upward. “Expecting an outlaw to save them would be foolish. Especially since it is certainly a trap.”

“Le Renard seems quite adept at escaping traps. She did so last night.”

“Oh? How would you know that? Do you have some of the soldiers wrapped around your finger as you do my brother?”

“I have many eyes watching.”

The other woman laughed. “I doubt that. Everyone in town knows why Roronoa Zoro is here, and that you are, _with_ him. None of them would help you.”

Robin ignored the inflection on the word “with.” It was rather amusing everyone made that assumption. Instead she smiled cryptically. “Perhaps you are correct.” 

She noted, with a certain satisfaction, the young woman looked put-out Robin hadn’t risen to the bait and revealed her secrets. The teenager was clearly used to her fierce personality and high status intimidating people into revealing secrets. Robin wasn’t so easily swayed.

The conversation lapsed. Robin focused on the collection, while Isabellae quietly sat, flipping through a book of her own disinterestedly.

Time passed. A familiar voice echoed down the hall towards them. “Father, how about one more game of chess? The strategy will take your mind off things. I can play my mandolin for you?” 

The footsteps didn’t slow. Alexandre tried again. “I was just in the library a little while ago, and it is terribly stuffy. The drawing room would be much more pleasant.”

“Bah! It requires no great strategy to defeat you at chess, my boy. All I wish is to relax in my library and play my harpsichord. And you are supposed to be chaperoning your sister.”

“Ah, well, you see. Miss Escalero fell ill suddenly and the dinner was called off.”

“Really?” The voices were right outside the door. “Because I talked to Bernard before I returned here, and he told me Isabellae sent an apology.” Robin saw Isabellae shake her head in disbelief at her brother’s attempt at deception. If he was this bad at it, Robin wouldn’t doubt he was as bad at chess as his father suggested.

“Yes. She did. It was her who fell ill suddenly. I was merely confused. Perhaps I have caught what she has?”

“Move aside, son.” The doors swung open, and Champ du Rene’s harsh gaze fell on Robin immediately. She felt herself shiver under it, which was unusual. “I see you are making yourself at home, Miss Gespenst.”

“She is here at my invitation, father.”

The patriarch didn’t even turn to look at his son. “Is that it? I thought perhaps you had already heard the other landowners, my long-time friends, have been trying to convince me to agree to the bounty hunter’s demand.”

“Well, Regent Greenleaf did make mention of that plan this morning, but I was certain you would not bend to their will.”

Robin rose slowly, taking in the location of as many possible resources as she could. In the worst case, she could sneak back in some night and try to do more research covertly. Or steal the books, if it came to that.

“Father, I’m disappointed in you.” Isabellae’s voice cut in. “Haven’t you told us to show proper hospitality, even to guests we did not approve of? That time the late Captain Tesoro commandeered our home, for example?”

Rene was unmoved. “I am master of this home. I decide which guests are approved or not.”

Isabellae didn’t retreat. “You might as well let her visit, Father. She will be the first person in years to truly appreciate what you have here. I can tell from how intently she scans every page. What good is all this if no one makes use of it?”

“Again, it is _my_ decision who makes use of _my_ library and who does not. Alexandre, take Miss Gespenst back to the inn, and return home immediately.”

The young man sighed, defeated. He gestured to Robin, and she followed him, pausing to curtsy to Mister du Champ. His scornful expression did not change. As Robin departed, she heard Isabellae resume the argument.

“That was very immature of you, Father. You are angry at Regent Greenleaf’s abuse of power, and taking it out on her because you are afraid to confront him.”

“I am not afraid of Regent Greenleaf. Rather, I am wise enough to know which battles to fight. Besides, as long as Le Renard stays away, there is no need for the Pirate Hunter, and no reason to accede to his demands.”

“But they have arrested more people, so I don’t think there’s much chance Le Renard stays away.” Isabellae yawned. “I suppose we will see in the morning what has happened. Good night, Father.”

Champ du Rene watched her suspiciously as she climbed the stairs. Then he released an exasperated sigh and headed for his harpsichord.

* * *

Zoro waited quietly on the same rooftop as the night before, watching the garrison. He spent the day out in the wilderness, training. There wasn’t much to do out there besides practice techniques until he found himself near the hills and discovered a decent-sized boulder. He spent a few hours running around carrying that on his back under the midday sun. It wasn’t the best workout, but better than nothing.

By the time the damn town stopped moving around the island so he could find it again, it was almost sunset and the soldiers were back. With a whole different set of prisoners. Zoro wondered if they were more people who said mean things about that guy with the ugly beard. He didn’t bother to ask. At least he had a good idea where to find Le Renard.

He wondered how things were going for Raserei. She was already gone by the time he made it back to town. Maybe he should have gone with her? He was supposed to watch her back. But he knew she was right. She could handle herself. She had suckered more than one of their bounties with her looks and charm, and none of them ever got anywhere with her. Besides, catching Le Renard was his job, and he doubted the outlaw was out much during the day. If he was going to confront her, it would have to be at night. 

Besides, Zoro wanted to see what she could do. He had a suspicion _she_ wanted to see what she could do, too. The soldiers clearly weren’t offering any challenge.

A little after midnight, he spied a familiar obsidian ostrich pull up along the other side of the garrison from where it arrived last night. He watched Le Renard make her way in, taking some time to try and really gauge her movements, any patterns, her speed. She was more agile, swifter than most of his opponents.

_‘Should be a good test.’_

He made his way to street level and approached her ostrich. The bird backed away as he drew close, but he was able to grab its reins with a quick movement. It snapped at him once, and he placed a sword at the base of its beak.

“Do that again, and you won’t have anything to snap with.” The bird’s feathers became damp with nervous sweat, but it stayed quiet. He started back towards the alley.

Soon, the wooden gates of the garrison creaked open, at the same time one guard cried an alarm, with several surprised shouts answering.

“Quickly, my friends, to the hills!” Again, the prisoners burst from the garrison and into the streets, scattering in every direction. This time, Le Renard stayed and fought, providing cover for the prisoners, keeping the soldiers from pursuing them. Not that this was difficult, as she easily dashed around and deflected their half-hearted attacks.

“It seems you and your men are too tired from hiking in the mountains all day to fight properly, Lieutenant,” the outlaw called mockingly. “I’ll take my leave now, so you may get some rest.”

She whistled sharply and rushed to the street. Nothing happened. She paused, looking both directions for her ostrich.

“Ha, you have no way to escape us now, Le Renard,” the soldiers charged forward, only to have their quarry vanish.

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant,” she called from the corner, “but I must find Charybdis.” With that she was gone.

* * *

Zoro couldn’t figure out where the hell he was. He intended to wait across the street from the gates until Le Renard left the garrison, then formally challenge her. Somehow, he wound up at the outskirts of town, near a dense grouping of small huts and enclosures for chickens and hogs.

“Where did the damn fort go?” Behind him, the ostrich shook its head sadly. The motion caused it to tug on the reins in the swordsman’s hand, and he turned his eyes on it.

“Oh, you think you know the way?” The ostrich bobbed its head enthusiastically, then tried to go back the way they’d come. “Yeah right. You’re probably just trying to lead me away from your master.”

“If so, it is merely because Charybdis is a brave, loyal steed, Mister Roronoa.” Le Renard stood on the roof behind them, cape fluttering in the wind before she dropped nimbly to the ground. “I would not have suspected the Pirate Hunter of being a common thief.”

“I wasn’t stealing the bird. I just didn’t want you riding away before we could fight.”

The outlaw tilted her head to regard him skeptically. “And that is why you are a half-mile from the garrison where I was fighting.”

Zoro huffed. “It’s not my fault the buildings move. Here.” He released the reins, and the ostrich dashed to her master’s side. Zoro drew his swords.

“Will you fight me?”

The outlaw stood silently, considering. It wasn’t often she was formally challenged. Charybdis bumped its head against hers, issued a low warning honk. Le Renard turned back towards the center of town. Then she patted her mount’s flank reassuringly and stepped forward.

“We may not have long until the soldiers arrive. Until then, I would be glad to test your reputation.”

Zoro rushed forward, swords held low on his right. Le Renard waited, rapier held ready. (Charybdis fled, correctly figuring a swordfight was no place for a flightless bird with a prominent neck.) Zoro brought the blade in his left hand in a flat arc. His opponent muttered something and leaned back, allowing the blade to pass easily above her. She shifted smoothly to offense, raising her sword in an upwards slash, only for Zoro to deflect it smoothly with his right.

He twirled his left sword deftly and stabbed, but Le Renard again shifted bonelessly out of its path. His right sword clashed against hers, and she skidded back.

He could see her eyebrows raise above her dark mask as her sword vibrated from the clash. He lunged, and she vanished. Zoro skidded to a stop, eyes searching in all directions.

He heard steps behind him and spun. His right sword narrowly deflected her thrust, although he felt her nick his shirt. He barely caught a glimpse of her backing up before she was gone. Again something rushed towards him, from his left, and he was narrowly able to parry. Again though, she vanished.

This went on for over a minute, Le Renard using blinding speed to attack, then retreat, from all sides. Zoro was entirely on the defensive, barely fending off her attacks. He couldn’t see her, and he was so focused on trying to hear her next attack, he couldn’t ready one of his own. He wasn’t being hurt badly, but she kept scoring slight cuts and stabs. Zoro was pretty sure he had the edge in raw strength, but Le Renard used her speed to add momentum and force to her attacks. Now it was his swords ringing from the force of her attacks.

“I’m disappointed, Mister Roronoa.” She called out as she circled him, appearing for an instant before fading out of sight. “How do you capture all those dangerous criminals without attacking? Oh, perhaps your glare reduces them to trembling babies? I, however, am not so easily cowed.”

Zoro kept silent. Listening. Waiting. Her words revealed her path. She was approaching again from behind, aiming for his left shoulder. He turned his head and let Kuina’s sword intercept the thrust, pushing the blade away. As he did, he twisted the rest of his body towards her, the swords in his hands parallel to the ground.

**“Bull Charge!”** Le Renard drew her sword back and tried to drift through Zoro’s rapid-fire stabs as she had his earlier attacks, but couldn’t avoid them all. Zoro felt his blades strike home on her left arm and legs, that moment of resistance before flesh gave way to sharpened steel. 

The notorious outlaw had no intention of throwing in the towel. **“One Thousand Thorns!”**

She began her own series of rapid stabs with her rapier even as Zoro concluded his attack. This focus on offense cost her a few deeper wounds, but she was able to score several hits on his arms, legs and chest as well. Zoro adjusted quickly, and his three swords sang as they whipped through the air trying to deflect all the attacks, feet set firmly to hold his ground.

When Le Renard’s attack ended, she hopped back, gaining some distance. The two eyed each other carefully.

“Nice attack,” Zoro grunted. He was pretty sure she got him more times than he got her, if not as deeply. He saw twist her arm, flex her legs slightly. Testing the damage.

She inclined her head in a slight nod. “Thank you. As they say, great minds think alike, eh?” 

The sounds of several shouts, including Lieutenant Marcel’s, intruded on their battle.

Le Renard frowned. “It appears our duel will have to end inconclusively, Mister Roronoa. If you were not allied with a tyrant, I would offer to face you privately another time, but there are too many people relying on me to risk your alerting the soldiers and ambushing me.”

Zoro’s blood boiled at the implication. “I don’t let anyone fight my battles for me, I sure as hell won’t let those weaklings get involved! They’ve had their chances to fight you, and thrown them away because of some bullshit kind of honor that says you aren’t worth fighting.”

He saw a flash of recognition in her eyes, his words striking true. She shook her head. “Would that I could believe you. Farewell.” 

She leapt to the nearest rooftop, scanning her surroundings. “Now where did that ostrich get to?” 

Zoro charged forward and jumped, catching the lip of the roof in one hand and hauling himself up. The outlaw smirked. “You are certainly persistent. Most men seem to be when it comes to me. Speaking of which. . . Hello Lieutenant! Are you rested up?”

The soldier and his men arrived in the small circle of homes. “You are wounded, Le Renard.” The lieutenant was stunned. “If you do not surrender, I will be forced to come up there after you.”

“Oh, but climbing things always ends so badly for you, my dear Lieutenant. You and gravity are simply not on good terms. So, I will save you the trouble.”

She vanished, footsteps headed towards the opposite end of the roof. Zoro sprinted after her. If he could just keep her in sight until they lost these idiot soldiers, they could resume the fight. 

Le Renard appeared at the edge and leapt into the air. The only thing out there was a small barn some distance away. Zoro followed suit, putting all the strength he could into his legs. 

Gravity is a relentless foe. It eventually won out and pulled him down. Zoro landed in a hog wallow with an unpleasant splat. He could swear he saw Le Renard hop in mid-air as he fell, but when he raised his head from the muck, she stood on the barn roof.

“You must watch those first steps, Pirate Hunter!” She called cheerfully, dropping down the back side of the barn. A few moments later, she rode off on her ostrich into the hills, the soldiers shouting for someone to bring their mounts.

Zoro hauled himself from the wallow, ignoring the unhappy hogs, squealing at having their slumber disturbed. He shook as much mud from his swords as possible while one thought went through his mind. 

_‘Raserei’s gonna laugh herself sick at this.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing snarky dialogue in this chapter. It suits my natural tendency to be a smart ass.


	20. Known Unknowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of his first confrontation with Le Renard, Zoro prepares for Round 2, and shows a remarkable knack for finding people he wasn't looking for. 
> 
> Robin returns to the du Champ library through a combination of courtship rituals and adolescent rebellion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you think I need to tag Profanity? I feel like Zoro's going to cuss more in later chapters. Not a lot, like maybe a couple of times a chapter. Do people actually care about that?

In fact, Robin didn’t even chuckle when Zoro entered their hotel room. She did raise one dark eyebrow at his clothes, which were soaked after he stopped at a trough to try and clean off the worst of the mud and foulness. But she waited patiently while he retired to the bathroom to finish the job. 

Now they were both seated on the large bed, Zoro checking his swords while she sat next to him, treating his injuries. Her eyes darted over the numerous punctures. They weren’t deep, so they likely wouldn’t slow him down much. Still. . .

“She is quite skilled, I take it.”

“Swordplay isn’t bad. It’s more she has other skills she knows how to combine with it. Her speed, especially. She’s hard to track, but she also uses it to add power to her attacks.”

“Do you think you’ll be able to find her again?”

“Maybe. She has dark red hair. That doesn’t seem too common around here.”

“Assuming she ventures into town. She may stay in the hills for precisely that reason.”

She didn’t have to tell Zoro his odds of finding Le Renard up there were slim. He changed the subject. “How did your library visit go?”

Robin chose her words as she cleaned and patched another wound. “There are several promising books, and a host of others I’d love to read simply for the pleasure of it. Mr. du Champ will be an issue. It doesn’t appear his friends were able to sway him. He regards you and I as outside interference, which he seems strongly opposed to. Odd, considering Isabellae implied he isn’t from here originally, either.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t like that Regent guy.”

“Possible.” Robin was sure Zoro was correct about that. But personal distaste aside, the elder du Champ was someone who placed great stock in respect for authority, or at least he expected his children to behave that way. Why refuse the Regent’s request, then?

“What the heck is a regent anyway? Like a king?”

“More like someone who rules in place of an absent king.”

Zoro grunted. That didn’t make any sense to him, but neither did locking up most of your people, or the lack of any actual Marines. “You get the feeling there’s stuff going on we’re missing?”

* * *

Zoro woke abruptly in the middle of the night. 

He heard something. He didn’t know what, but it had been enough to alert him. He lay there, eyes closed, pretending to still be asleep in case someone was sneaking in. All the while, one hand drifted towards his swords where they rested next to the bed.

The noise came again, close by. A soft, distressed sound, almost a whimper. He opened his eyes and glanced at his partner.

Raserei was facing towards him again. Unlike last night, when she slept soundly, tonight she trembled. Curled almost in a ball on her side, arms crossed over her chest like she was ready to use her powers in her sleep.

Zoro wasn’t sure how she’d react to being woken up. If she panicked, that probably wouldn’t end well for him. Screw it. He couldn't let that stop him.

He called her name softly, trying to pull her from the dream gently. No response. He tried again, just a little louder. Still nothing. Finally, he reached out and tapped her lightly on the shoulder as he repeated her name.

He felt her move suddenly as she came awake, upper body rising, head swiveling to find the threat in the darkness. Despite being startled, she didn’t make a sound.

“Easy Raserei, it’s just me.”

She froze, and he could see the outline of her head turn to him. “Zoro? What’s wrong? Is there an attack?”

Her voice was very soft, barely above a whisper.

“No, no attack,” he assured her. “You were having a bad dream.”

“A bad dream?” She sounded confused, like she couldn’t believe he’d wake her for that.

“Yeah, you sounded kinda scared, and at first I thought maybe you heard someone. But you wouldn’t respond when I called. That’s why I tapped you. Sorry.”

He felt her eyes on him, even if he couldn't see her face. He wondered if she could see his, and was trying to read his expression.

“Thank you, Zoro. I probably would have woken up soon on my own, but still, thank you. I’m sorry for waking you.”

“Pfft. Don’t need to apologize for that. We both know it doesn’t take ,e long to fall back asleep.”

He started to lay back as she laughed softly. “Fufufufu. That’s true. I envy you for that, Zoro.”

“You want to talk about the dream?”

He could see her head shake, the outline of her hair, now down to an inch or two above her shoulder, moving like a set of wings.

“I don’t even remember it now. Most likely a simple nightmare, is all. Good night, Zoro.”

“OK. ‘Night.”

Zoro stayed awake a little while, just to see if she fell back asleep. She didn’t.

She was awake when he woke up near sunrise, too.

* * *

The following morning, the pair of bounty hunters wandered the streets. Robin could feel hostile gazes on their backs, or more accurately, on Zoro’s. A few chuckles, hidden behind their hands. Robin assumed those people heard about Zoro’s unscheduled visit to the hog pen. There were whispers too, about both of them. Not kind, although the sources quickly averted their eyes when Robin glanced their way.

Zoro kept his gaze straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to it all. But Robin knew he was alert in case anyone found courage to do more than talk.

“You might be better off keeping your distance,” he muttered.

“Nonsense, Mister Swordsman,” she answered cheerfully. “You cleaned yourself quite thoroughly last night. I can’t even smell the hogs on you anymore.”

Zoro laughed, and Robin saw his shoulders loosen just a bit. Actually, the town seemed hostile not just to them, but in general. Especially towards the soldiers.

“Miss Gespenst!” Isabellae rode up behind them in the same buggy Alexandre used the day before. “Would you like to explore my father’s library some more?”

“Yes, but are you telling me he’s reconsidered?”

The young woman shook her head and smiled like a cat that swallowed the canary. “No, but Alexandre is keeping him busy by being forced to show interest in running the ranch. They will be out in the hills all day inspecting the herds and the fences.”

Robin glanced at Zoro, who shrugged. “Better not pass the chance up. I’ll go do some training.”

Robin climbed swiftly on board and the two headed back for the du Champ home. “I’m surprised you would help me.”

“It is not out of altruism,” Isabellae replied. “I am rather cross with my father. He expects _us_ to kowtow to Greenleaf, or any authority figure, but he is allowed to be as bullheaded as he wants.” In her annoyance, she flicked the reins with just a little extra force, and winced slightly at the sharp motion.

“Also, it is possible Ferdinand will come to visit today, since I missed dinner at his home last night. You can act in my brother’s place as chaperone.”

“Will that be considered acceptable?” Robin was under the impression chaperones had to be mutually agreed upon by the families, so they couldn’t be convinced to look the other way on improper behavior.

Isabellae laughed. “More than acceptable. Alexandre would try to embarrass me, or fluster Ferdinand, which is not much of a task. I suspect you will be too absorbed in your reading to bother us.”

“Then I’m willing to defend your virtue in return for access to your father’s collection.”

* * *

Zoro ambled through town, trying to find the seaside. Listening to the ocean often helped focus his mind, and he wanted to replay the fight. 

Le Renard’s speed would be tough to counter, but it seemed limited to straight line movement. Couldn’t weave around him at that high speed. She could back up fast, or charge forward or to one side fast. Which didn’t help unless Zoro could track her somehow. He wasn’t picking up her footsteps until she was almost on top of him. She was chatty, but he couldn’t count on that remaining the same.

Maybe there was a limit to how far she could move at that speed? If he could move away from her when she charged, then launch his own charge when she stopped? But would he have time once he recognized which direction she was coming from? Or fight her in an enclosed space, where she can’t use her speed?

Lost in these thoughts, Zoro continued walking until a flash of white from within a warehouse he passed caught his eye. Glancing through the window, the swordsman was surprised to see several Marines sitting around drinking and laughing.

OK, so there _were_ Marines stationed here. What was with Lieutenant Marcel and his men then? Why would you need two militaries for this one island? He craned his neck back to look at the warehouse. Sure didn’t look like any Marine base he’d ever seen. No markings or anything. Looked abandoned almost.

As he watched, one of the stone-faced men that accompanied the Regent yesterday, barged into view from the other end of the warehouse and began shouting at the Marines. To Zoro’s surprise, they snapped to attention, hurriedly throwing on the same uniforms as the man barking orders.

Zoro stepped away, trying to process this as he moved on. He’d never known Marines to wear different uniforms just because they were on a particular island. It was certainly strange, but he couldn’t figure out what the point would be. 

He’d tell Raserei tonight. She liked puzzles and mysteries. Maybe it would make sense to her.

* * *

_‘Being a chaperone is certainly easy.’_

Or maybe it was just these two made it easy. Ferdinand was pleasant enough, thin and oddly pale for such a sunny climate. He was quiet and earnest, easily tongue-tied around the young lady he obviously adored. Isabellae didn’t seem to mind, willing to wait patiently for him to order his thoughts. He’d been surprised to see Robin in the library, but accepted Isabellae’s explanation readily enough.

Robin left them to their quiet conversations and pored over the many books in Rene du Champ’s collection. It was truly impressive how many volumes he held Robin had doubted she would ever encounter. Several the World Government deemed treasonous and had done their best to destroy. Nothing so far helped in the quest for the Poneglyphs, but there was still a wealth of information.

Zoro’s suggestion Robin could seek out answers to other mysteries lost to time once she revealed the truth of the Void Century replayed in her mind.

_‘Later, focus on the challenge already before you.’_

“Miss Gespenst?” 

Robin looked up to see Ferdinand standing before her. He looked nervous, but cautiously friendly. “I’ll be leaving now. I would like to thank you for agreeing to be present. I know it was likely dull for you, but I’m grateful for any time I can spend with Isabellae.”

Robin smiled. “It’s no problem. The two of you made it very easy.” The young man nodded, shaking her hand once gently, then departed. “He seems nice,” she commented to her host.

“Yes. He’s shy, but honest and sweet. I imagine you are interested in different qualities judging by Mister Roronoa.”

“Zoro is actually extremely honest,” Robin countered. “His word is very important to him. But he and I are simply helping each other reach our respective goals.”

Isabellae wrinkled her nose in confusion. “Does he often demand you receive access to libraries in exchange for capturing criminals?”

Robin shook her head, wishing yet again the swordsman hadn’t done that. “Zoro tries to be a helpful partner. I also examine ruins and abandoned cities. They can be quite treacherous. Zoro acts as a shield. In return, I help him get from one place to another and locate bounties.”

“So you’ve traveled extensively. That must be fun.” Isabellae settled carefully onto the sofa nearest her. She started to lean forward, eager look on her face, but stopped abruptly and settled back into the cushions instead.

“Are you all right?” Robin hadn’t missed how carefully the young woman was moving today. It wasn’t the measured, refined movements she exhibited the other times Robin had seen her.

“Oh, yes,” she answered, looking sheepish, if not entirely genuine. “My mount startled during my early morning ride and I landed awkwardly. I’m afraid I inherited my father’s lack of grace with ostriches. Our mother was the expert, and Alexandre takes after her in that regard.” She redirected the conversation quickly. “How is it, traveling the seas?”

Robin filed the answer away for later. “It can be enjoyable, as you suspect, to see a variety of places and people, but there are hardships. Constantly moving can grow tiring. Food and water at the mercy of how fortunate you are in which islands you reach. Always on unfamiliar ground. The accommodations vary widely. Pirates, of course. Truthfully, having someone along makes it better.” 

Robin wouldn’t have expected to ever say that a few years ago, but it was really true. Perhaps Saul had been right all along.

“I would like to travel someday, as my father did in his youth, but I don’t think I could stay away from home forever.”

“Understandable. You have a wonderful home and a caring family. Those ties aren’t ones to break lightly.”

Isabellae smiled, pleased the other woman understood. “Exactly. I would hope what I learned abroad would enable me to improve things here when I returned.”

“To perhaps succeed Regent Greenleaf?”

The younger woman’s face wrinkled in displeasure. “That shouldn’t be necessary. Once our King returns from his meetings with the representatives of the World Government, the dear Regent will be out on his derriere. I would,” she amended, wistful smile on her face, “enjoy being the one who threw him out, however. Though there are several others with better claims. Such an odious man.”

Robin’s heart rate sparked momentarily at the mention of the World Government, but she feigned idle curiosity instead. “Why meet with them? I’ve noticed there are no Marines. Is he dissatisfied with that?”

“No, it’s more to assure the World Government that we don’t require Marines. That Papillion is a loyal nation, capable of maintaining order ourselves.”

“I imagine order would be relatively easy if you lock up so many citizens. Although it can hardly be good for the local economy or community spirit.” Robin’s voice remained carefully neutral.

Isabellae face turned stormy, a deep scowl creasing it. “That is not the usual way of things. Once King Sommeil returns, he will see what the Regent has done and set things right, as he did once Captain Tesoro’s corruption was exposed. This taking of the small farmers’ land, he would never approve of it!”

Robin filed that information away as well, making a note to try and find some town records later. “What was his opinion of Le Renard?”

Isabellae’s anger was replaced with surprise. “Le Renard? I have no idea,” she said quickly. “I’m not certain that criminal ever met the King. Just as well, since he approved the bounty on her. She’s grown even bolder in his absence. Why would you ask that question? Worried you won't get your money?”

“Simply curious.” Robin answered placidly, letting the topic drop, returning to her reading. 

Minutes passed in silence, the young woman worrying she’d offended her guest with her aggressive response. Robin just didn’t want to raise sensitive topics with someone nice enough to grant her access to this library. The more people willing to let her in, the better. 

Eventually, though, Isabellae’s curiosity got the best of her. 

“If it isn’t too distracting, would you please tell me about some of the places you’ve been?”

“Certainly, although as you noted, I’m likely attracted by different things than you.”

* * *

_‘The heat makes it a little more challenging, at least.’_

After the mystery of the Marines, Zoro opted to forget the shoreline and head to the interior to train. Of course, he immediately found himself at the sea, but managed to keep it at his back long enough to reach the scrublands. He couldn’t find his boulder from yesterday, and the one he settled on wasn’t as large.

One advantage to creating a new sword-fighting style is it teaches a body how to improvise a training regimen. Not to mention he spent the last few years without a home, usually on small personal vessels, or crowded commercial liners. Unwilling to simply sit and wait to reach land to train, Zoro learned to make do with what he had.

Today, he found a few hardy vines slowly strangling the life from a twisted Joshua tree, and fashioned them into a harness around the boulder. He gripped the other end in his teeth like a bridle, and dragged the rock across the landscape. With his hands free, he practiced Two-Sword Style. Occasionally, he would go through the form of a Three-Style technique, swinging the boulder around by the strength of his neck. Added to that, the summer sun bore down from the cloudless sky, trying to cook his brain like an egg.

It still didn’t feel quite enough, but it would have to do.

He twisted and turned, swords flashing, boulder rolling and bounding around him as he played out the battle of the night before. Pushing himself to turn faster, react more quickly. Anticipate Le Renard’s attacks, find some way of neutralizing her speed. He was certain in a straight up swordfight, he would win. That was no excuse – _only weaklings make excuses_ , Kuina’s voice scoffed – but he knew Le Renard’s speed was her primary advantage.

In this manner, he continued across the scrublands, moving closer to the hills without no conscious decision. Zoro was distantly aware of a few of the ranchers’ hired hands observing his progress – the dust kicked up by a boulder basically dancing over the landscape tends to attract attention – but they weren’t bothering him, so he ignored them.

Not everyone was so inclined to leave him be, though, as he approached a narrow canyon tucked away in the hills. He felt hostile eyes on him first, then heard footsteps, many of them, moving closer slowly. They probably thought they were being quiet, but compared to Raserei, it was like a herd of elephants.

He stopped, letting the boulder roll up against one wall of the canyon. Removing the vine from his mouth, he spat once before speaking.

“Help you with something?” Looking them over, he recognized a few of the people from the cells the day he arrived. Several of them carried rifles they probably took from unconscious soldiers. None appeared friendly.

One, Zoro thought it was the lady who did the most shouting at the lieutenant – Ally? – stepped to the front. “I do not think we require any help from a bounty hunter.”

Zoro shrugged, indifferent to her hostility. “OK.” Placing the bridle back in his jaws, he started to turn away and move back into the open ranges.

“Halt!”

The swordsman sighed, removed the vine again, and turned to face them. “What?!”

“Do you really think we’re going to let you return to town and tell the Regent’s men where we are?”

“With the way shit on this screwy island moves around, I don’t even know where we are,” Zoro snapped. The mob exchanged confused looks. “And I don’t give enough of a damn to bother telling anyone where you are.”

“Of course not,” one of the others sneered. “Our bounties aren’t high enough to interest you, butcher.”

“No,” Zoro replied flatly, like he was explaining things to the village idiot. For all he knew, that’s what this guy was. Assuming that wasn’t the Regent’s job. Or maybe the lieutenant’s. “I don’t enjoy fighting weaklings, and none of you are worth my time.”

That struck a nerve, and several men began muttering angrily, gripping their rifles more tightly. Their target smirked, unconcerned. “You gonna shoot me? There’s some guys not too far off, might hear the shots. Kinda defeats the purpose of keeping your secret hideout secret.”

The men hefted their rifles as clubs. Others grabbed sabers Zoro could tell hadn’t been maintained. A few raised farming implements. They moved forward as one, numbers giving them courage to challenge him. Zoro bit on the bridle again, and with a simple twist of his head, jerked the boulder into the air and smashed it against the canyon wall above them.

The boulder and rock face exploded in a hail of shrapnel, sending his would-be attackers diving for cover, while Zoro deflected any shards that came his way with one sword. By the time the dust cleared, he’d drawn all three swords, and stood ready.

“Like I said, I don’t care that you’re hiding here, and I’m not going to tell anyone about it. You can accept that, or try your luck.”

Looking over the crowd, he saw a few defiant faces, but most wouldn’t meet his eyes. Taking that as a sign, he backed up slowly. One woman on a ledge began to raise her rifle, but stopped when his eyes met hers. Zoro continued out into the scrubland. Away from the town, naturally, to the complete bewilderment of his hostile audience.

* * *

It felt like he had to search the entire island to find the town, but Zoro made it back near sunset. His boulder smashed, he practiced running, and trying to mimic an odd movement he’d seen Le Renard make. He couldn’t figure out its significance, but she kept doing it, so it must mean something.

He compared notes with Raserei over dinner. To save money – and for greater privacy – they ate on the ship. Plus, some supplies were about to go bad. Use them or lose them, she said.

Zoro was pretty sure she just wanted her own coffee instead of the stuff in town.

Zoro didn’t mention the fugitives in the canyon. He didn’t consider it lying, since she asked specifically if he saw anything interesting. They’d been so weak, he didn’t think they qualified. The Marines were another matter, and one that caught the archaeologist’s attention.

“Isabellae told me the island doesn’t have Marines. They have their own peacekeeping force.”

“The Lieutenant and his men?”

Robin nodded as she sipped her coffee. Her fingers pale as she gripped the cup tightly, like she was trying to draw warmth from it. “The King is supposed to be convincing the World Government the island still doesn’t need Marines. That things are fine as they are.”

“Doesn’t seem like it,” Zoro remarked. “Everyone in this town is pissed.”

“I agree. The Regent’s actions are only angering the populace.”

It was obvious the Marines’ presence worried her, even if they were trying to remain low-profile. Maybe _especially_ because they were hiding. “You want to get out of here before things explode?”

“I’m surprised you would offer, since you haven’t had a conclusive battle with Le Renard.” She wasn’t kidding, Robin could hardly believe Zoro was willing to leave things unresolved. 

(Of course, he might simply plan to return later, as they had with El Gato.)

“Not really happy about that, but it isn’t why we came. If you’ve seen what you need to, we can go.”

“Thank you Zoro, but unfortunately, I need at least another day or two to finish searching the library. And that’s if I’m able to return each day. It will depend on whether the elder du Champ is away or not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Related to Robin and Isabellae's discussion of Papillion Kingdom and its lack of (official) Marines, I'll mention that I'm operating under the notion that individual islands or kingdoms can issue bounties separate from the World Government. It's pretty obvious the World Government doesn't do much day-to-day governing of individual islands (unless you call ordering the Marines to kill everyone "governing".)
> 
> So Le Renard's bounty was issued by Papillion Kingdom, not by the World Government. Whereas someone who catches Luffy can turn them in wherever and collect the reward, Le Renard could only be turned in on Papillion Island. This may directly contradict something Oda's written, but oh well. I did go back and add something to that effect to the line in Chapter 18 where they see Le Renard's bounty.


	21. The Lull Beforehand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Robin can't get into the du Champ library, she finds other ways to pass the time. There are other mysteries to pursue, and her grouchy swordsman friend to keep her entertained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's still the 5th where I am, but I got a long day of work tomorrow, so I'm posting this chapter now, to make sure it goes up. This thing says it's the 6th already, anyway.

No one came to invite Robin to the library the next morning. Which didn’t mean they might not arrive later, but neither Robin nor Zoro saw any reason to waste a day sitting around waiting.

The swordsman moved his morning training into their room at the inn, since that was the one location they were confident she could use her powers unobserved. It limited his options, but again he adapted, using the furniture when he could. 

For example, he was currently doing blindfolded, handstand push-ups while balancing the bed on his feet. Zoro kept his count between exhales and grunts as Robin scanned through one of her books while seated regally on top of the bed.

Her presence up there forced Zoro to maintain perfect balance, made all the trickier by the uneven weight distribution from the massive headboard, as well as her sporadic attacks. 

“Careful, Zoro, you’re wobbling,” Robin reprimanded him without looking up from the book. “Try to be a little gentler,” she added more loudly.

“Yeah, I got it, you don’t have to yell,” he grumbled, only to utter a surprised yelp as a familiar hand hit his back with a loud smack, then dispersed. He could feel the petals floating around him as his arm almost buckled, but he caught himself in time. His breath escaped hotly through his teeth as he regained his control.

“Perhaps you need to take a break, Mister Swordsman. You’ll wear yourself and the bed out at this rate.” Zoro could hear the smile in her voice. At least she was having fun.

“I’m fine. You’re the one who’ll go tumbling if I lose control here.”

“But the bed will land on _you_. I doubt it’s enough to break your back, but it will certainly slow you down in your next confrontation with Le Renard.”

Zoro huffed, but didn’t respond to the jab. “You think it’s Isabellae? The hair color doesn’t match. Is that some Devil Fruit?”

“It could be, but it’s at least as likely she simply dyes her hair to throw everyone off track. You could go and challenge her.”

“Nah. Without proof, she’d just pretend I was nuts, even if she wanted to duel.”

“I imagine her father wouldn’t be pleased with your accusation, either. You haven’t lost count, have you?” 

“This is 900.” Zoro extended his arms and legs fully. This time, he lowered himself until his back touched the floor, legs still fully extended in the air. The bed slowly lowered as he drew his knees towards his chest, until four wooden legs were back on the ground with a solid thud. A moment later, he rolled from underneath. The floor must be fairly clean, considering how little dust adhered to his red face or sweaty torso. The staff certainly didn’t skimp on housecleaning, Robin reflected.

“I’m gonna get some water. You want anything?” She shook her head, and he departed, leaving Robin to her thoughts.

They needed more information about what was going on here. The Marines, the Regent, the King meeting with the World Government somewhere else. Robin felt a nasty surprise lurking, and she hated it. She again considered Zoro’s offer to simply leave, but couldn’t tear herself away from the possibility the library might hold some clue. And she knew that, even if Zoro was sincere about being willing to leave without settling things with Le Renard, he would rather not.

All the more reason to understand what was happening. If she knew, she could take precautions, plan escape routes. Suddenly, the fortresses that framed the harbor entrance loomed large in her thoughts. But if they moved their ship now, would that raise suspicion?

Zoro returned before she came to any conclusions. The swordsman carried a pitcher of water and two glasses. The perplexed expression he wore was of more interest to her. He cast a glance over his shoulder before closing the door with a tap of his foot, shaking his head.

“Raserei, this whole town is going nuts. That innkeeper gave me a lot crap just now.”

“Oh?” She kept her face attentive, but neutral. 

“Yeah, he asked us to keep it down in here, that the noises were distracting everyone’s breakfast.”

“Well, you are exercising quite vigorously, Zoro.” She raised her book to cover the grin creasing her face.

“That’s what I told him!” Zoro complained. “That I’m just using the bed for a workout, and you’re helping.”

“What did he say to that?” The swordsman being surprisingly innocent really made him great fun to tease sometimes.

“That I should stop bragging, it wasn’t gentlemanly, and – aw crap.” Realization dawned. “He thinks we were. . .”

Robin laughed. Her laughter increased as Zoro sighed and his palm smacked against his forehead.

* * *

After that, Zoro decided to continue his training in the scrublands, leaving Robin free to snoop around town. She hadn’t bothered asking where Zoro found the Marines. His directions would have proved futile. He did, however, provide an accurate description of the exterior, to the point it was no difficulty for her to find it.

Peering through the window, the building appeared empty. Rather than sneak in, she scattered eyes and ears throughout while continuing to walk past, confirming no one was inside. Just several crates and a few lockers. The lockers weren’t kept locked, and did contain Marine uniforms. The insignia said 16th Branch, under Captain Nezumi from what she’d heard. She couldn’t find anything referring to specific orders, though. There were rifles inside. Standard Marine model. Newer than those she saw Lieutenant Marcel’s men carrying.

The crates were still sealed. There were crowbars lying around, and Robin debated breaking into one. If it opened easily, she could seal it again, with no one the wiser. If not, they would know someone was onto them. How likely were they to suspect her or Zoro?

It was a risk, but given they were dealing with Marines, she felt better to err on the side of having as much knowledge as possible. Arms swiftly passed the tool along a line to a pair growing from one crate.

Perhaps she chose the wrong crate, as the lid splintered badly as it broke loose. Her multiple ears transmitted a crack that echoed like the broken bones of so many of her enemies. Even standing two blocks away, where an observer would think she was staring serenely at the sea, and even though she knew the warehouse was empty, Robin held her breath. Waiting for someone to point at her and shout. Accuse her of a crime. Identify her to everyone as the Demon of Ohara and force her to run for her life.

There was no shout. No one pointed or accused. No one heard or reacted at all. The sound had not escaped the solid brick walls and sealed windows.

Calming herself, Robin bloomed an eye in an arm that wasn’t holding the pry bar to peer in. Picks, shovels, explosives, but not the sort for cannons.

She did her best to hammer the lid back in place. Hopefully, if the time came where the Marines opened it, they’d do so from the opposite end, or assume it had been damaged in transport.

* * *

“Miss Gespenst, it is nice to see you!” The soldier smiled up at her from behind his desk in the garrison. Even if Lieutenant Marcel knew her by an alias, it was still a rare enough event to be a pleasant surprise for Robin that someone greeted her cheerfully.

“Good morning, Lieutenant,” she replied in kind. “How are you this morning?”

The soldier let out a long sigh, body sagging as though he was a deflating tire. “In truth, not so well. Today and tomorrow are dedicated to monthly tax collection. As you may imagine, it is not a popular day. Especially not since the Regent raised the rates.”

Robin noted most of his men were in the garrison like the lieutenant, engaged in various activities that were **not** tax collecting. “I can see why you would be delaying getting started.”

“Actually, my men and I were taken off the duty and replaced by the Regent’s personal guard. He claimed that we were not forceful enough. I do not think being forceful helps _his_ men any, but I also do not think they mind that.” His expression shifted from sheepish to disgusted.

“I was actually curious about Regent Greenleaf’s personal guard. Namely, that he has one. Are they normally the King’s guard?”

“No, the King has a small guard, but they naturally accompanied him on his trip. I would have liked to go also, but I fear I was considered too important. This unit would fall apart without me.”

Robin smiled sympathetically, while doubting the statement’s accuracy. “I believe that is the burden of command, is it not?”

He nodded emphatically. “Very true. As to the Regent’s guards, no, they are mostly recent arrivals to the island who decided they liked it here. Confidentially, I wish they liked it here a little less. They were all very insolent and disrespectful when they disembarked.”

“Are they former Marines? Marines can be quite contemptuous of those who aren’t Marines.” Robin carefully kept her own contempt masked. In her experience, Marines considered everyone else to be little better than target practice, punching bags, or easy sources of money. In other words, potential victims.

“No, no. They all showed up on various merchant vessels. When the Regent declared he needed a personal guard, they all applied. I suppose it isn’t uncommon for sailors to be rough and disrespectful. Those are hardly good qualities for a soldier, though.”

“I think you are entirely correct, Lieutenant.” The man clearly didn’t receive much praise, as he practically beamed at her statement. “Any luck capturing Le Renard?”

“We have not really been looking. The Regent wishes we devote ourselves to finding all the prisoners Le Renard helped escape recently. I suppose if we succeeded at that, it would draw that outlaw into the open. Unfortunately, it is too hot during the day, and too dark at night to search properly.” He shrugged helplessly. “Has Mister Roronoa had any success?”

Robin couldn’t tell if the Lieutenant was that lazy, or if this was his way of defying the Regent.

 _‘Both most likely.’_

“He hasn’t been looking, either. This is the Le Renard’s home ground, it would be inadvisable to venture onto her battlefield, where she might have innumerable traps to help her win. He’s focused on training for their next battle.”

“I don’t think Le Renard would behave so dishonorably,” Marcel objected. “Well, I suppose there was that time she got me to chase her and tripped me into an old well. And the time she cut through my suspenders. And the time. . . Mister Roronoa may be on to something.”

* * *

The next day was much like the first. Robin helped Zoro with his training again in the morning. She couldn’t help noticing he was much quieter than he had been the day before. She tried to tease him about it, but he brushed it off gruffly.

“I need to work on being smoother and more silent, anyway.”

This time, however, Robin had an idea, and wouldn’t let him venture into the wilderness.

“Zoro, your clothes are nearly in tatters. Does your training involve rolling in a dry streambed?”

She thought it a fair question, considering he returned yesterday evening covered in dust.

Zoro scowled, even as his ears reddened. “Of course not! That streambed appeared out of nowhere!” Realizing what he admitted, he tried to save face. “It’s good for toughening up my skin.”

Robin did him the favor of not laughing too openly. “I don’t think you can turn your skin into armor, Mister Swordsman.” She poked his arm experimentally. His skin was rough and dried out. She’d seen lizards with smoother exteriors. 

“I may be mistaken.”

He smirked. “Never thought I’d hear that from you.”

Robin held her hands up in a _‘what can you do?’_ expression. “I don’t have many occasions to say it.”

* * *

Rare an event as it was, Robin had never actually gone with Zoro when he purchased clothes. It turned out to be an interesting challenge. Not in terms of finding something that looked good on him – he was in excellent shape, and anything that showed that off was a good start – but he didn’t see the point in having different outfits. Although the swordsman tried to frame it as simply being easier on their finances.

“Wouldn’t it be cheaper to just buy a bunch of these?” He held up a plain white t-shirt, identical to the ones he frequently wore, most of which were now full of holes or bloodstains he couldn’t get out. 

Zoro had drawn the line at going to the store Lieutenant Marcel recommended, which was apparently popular with that Alexandre and his friends. Zoro tried to picture himself fighting in the clothes that guy wore, and shook his head.

 _‘How does he even move in those pants?’_ Zoro briefly weighed the pros and cons of whether they could act as resistance training, and whether it would be worth it, before dismissing the notion.

“Well yes, but a little variety wouldn’t hurt.” Robin didn’t consider herself a clothes horse, rarely having the opportunity to own more than she could readily carry, but she still liked to mix things up. She held up a cream-colored shirt with ruffled collars against Zoro’s chest. He pushed it back, face scrunched in disgust.

“Not a chance in hell, woman. Those will just get in the way.” He thought this was a store for working people. Dockworkers and ranch hands and stuff. Did that shirt escape the other place somehow? 

Zoro scanned the store, grabbing a few t-shirts of varying colors and designs. He heard a sigh behind him, and paused. He glanced at his partner. She looked disappointed. He guessed she had different expectations. He just didn’t get why.

“Is it really a big deal to you? For me to have nicer stuff? It’ll just get trashed in the next fight.”

Robin had to admit he had a point. Why did she even care? Idle curiosity, maybe. See what Zoro looked like, all dressed up. 

Or maybe because it was just fun to do something innocent like this with another person. It seemed like something friends might do together. Like when Zoro accompanied her to a bookstore, or she went with him to a swords shop just to look around.

Before she could say anything, Zoro came to a decision. He marched directly to a different section of the store and began skimming through some collared shirts. He tried a few on, but most of them felt way too tight. Any kind of quick movement would tear them. He needed something with more give.

Then there were the colors. Most of the fashions here favored pastels, soft and pale. Zoro didn’t care too much, but he preferred strong colors. With those limitations, he only found three he was satisfied with. One in golden yellow (that even had a zipper instead of buttons, handy), another of deep blue with a gold pattern swirling across the middle, one in red, shot with black flecks. 

“I guess I can unbutton them before I fight,” he said when he returned to her. They made their way to the shopkeeper (who had not offered any assistance, instead scowling at them the entire time), and as the purchases were rung up, Robin’s eyes landed on the red one.

“This might be one to wear into battle, Zoro. Your blood won’t show as much.”

She meant it as a joke, but the swordsman nodded seriously. “That’s what I was thinking. Should I see if they have two?”

* * *

“What are we doing here?” Zoro asked as they approached the town archives. It was a low brick building, rather plain-looking outside of the large, ornate set of oak double-doors that served as the entrance. Inside, the floor was marble that shone dully in the light through the open doorway.

“Research.”

“Will it kill you if you don’t research something every day?” Zoro asked sarcastically.

Robin pretended he was speaking seriously. “I don’t believe so, but if it did, would you save me?”

Zoro rolled his eyes as he let out a puff of air that might have been a laugh. “Of course I would. I’d carry you straight to the nearest bookstore or library.”

“That certainly puts my mind at ease,” Robin said playfully as they approached the information desk, “assuming you didn’t get lost along the way.”

“Then you better make sure it doesn’t get so bad you can’t give directions,” the swordsman shot back.

The clerk eyed the two of them warily. “May I help you?”

Robin offered her most friendly smile. Zoro’s typical grumpy look may have lessened the effect, but the clerk’s tension eased slightly. “Yes, I was curious where I would find copies’ of the island’s newspaper over the last several years.”

The clerk gestured to one corner of the room. “The most recent editions will be at this end of the aisle, getting older as you move farther back.” As they turned that direction, the clerk added, “There won’t be anything from the last two months. The Regent ordered it shuttered for seditious acts.”

“Thank you for warning me.”

“What’s a seditious act?” Zoro whispered.

“It means the Regent accused them of encouraging people to defy him.”

Zoro muttered, “Sounds about right for that guy. He’s a thin-skinned little weasel.”

Robin smirked as she began pulling out archived copies and setting them on a nearby table. “Careful Zoro, you could find yourself locked up for violating the ordinance that prohibits being disrespectful to the Regent.”

Her partner laid out another stack of papers for her. “I’d like to see them try. Those soldiers aren’t worth a shit.”

“Don’t be so quick to dismiss the idea. It would give you the perfect opportunity to capture Le Renard. When she arrives to rescue you.”

Zoro laughed loudly while the clerk frowned in their direction. When he calmed down, he leaned in and asked, “What are you looking for, anyway? Something to use to get that old man to let you in his library?”

The corner of her mouth quirked up in an amused smile. “I don’t think I’m likely to find suitable blackmail material in the local paper, Mister Roronoa. I’m more curious to learn about Le Renard. If there’s a pattern to her we could use to find her more easily.”

Zoro frowned, confused. “Do we really need that? She shows up when people get thrown in jail, and there’s a lot of that going around these days.”

“True, but there are some things that don’t add up. 7 million is fairly large for a bounty no one, not even the soldiers, seems interested in collecting, don’t you think?”

Zoro didn’t respond, and Robin couldn’t tell whether he didn’t have an answer, or simply didn’t care. She turned her attention to the newspapers.

Le Renard first appeared within the last two years. Sporadically at first, when a pirate or similar threat showed up. If the reaction of the paper’s editor was anything to go by, there was confusion as to what she was after, gradually replaced by acceptance that she seemed to want to help.

This changed with the appointment of a Captain Tesoro Emilie to the head of the soldiers. He was much more heavy-handed and freer with the use of his power. The outlaw began appearing regularly to confront, and typically humiliate, the Captain. There was some sort of final confrontation near the du Champ home that ended in Tesoro’s death, though details were vague. Blame fell on Le Renard, and so the King issued the bounty.

No one seemed interested in collecting for a variety of reasons. It wasn’t certain Le Renard actually killed the Captain. The Captain may have been involved in something of questionable legality involving land. Le Renard fell out of sight for several months, leading the paper to question if she had been mortally wounded. (There were some suggestions the current Le Renard was a different person.) And Captain Tesoro did not seem to be very popular. Except, interestingly, with Augustin Greenleaf, the future Regent.

Robin was so absorbed in her reading she forgot her partner was there until Zoro set a lamp on the table and turned it on. She glanced out the window, and saw the sky had turned a deep blue overhead, only a faint shade of orange to the west.

“I’m sorry, Zoro. I’ve lost track of time.”

“It’s fine. Clerk Guy says the place is open another hour, but I’m gonna go scout out the garrison. Le Renard might show up early tonight.”

Robin stood, stretching her arms above her head, arching her back until it popped satisfyingly. “I’ll join you. I can come back to this another day.”

“Not if I finish this tonight by capturing her.”

“That’s very confident of you, Mister Swordsman. Now I have to come with you. I wouldn’t want to miss your triumphant victory.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figure Robin hasn't exactly had the opportunity to do a lot of friend activities together. 
> 
> Next time: Zoro vs. Le Renard, Round 2. Plus, the aftermath.


	22. Questions Without Good Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Le Renard both have problems they aren't sure how to address.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up splitting this chapter into two. It felt a little too long, or like too many things were happening for any one of them to make an impact.

“You could still go do what you wanted, Raserei. Fighting Le Renard’s my job, anyway.”

“That’s all right, Zoro. I’m interested to watch this fight and see if I’m right about Isabellae.”

Zoro shrugged as the two patiently perched on the same rooftop as their first night on the island. She’d been so absorbed in her research, he hadn’t thought anything would tear her away, but he didn’t mind the company.

As expected, several people either couldn’t or wouldn’t pay their taxes. Which meant they got thrown in jail. Which meant Le Renard would show up to free them.

She made a different approach this time. Rather than riding her ostrich to the walls of the garrison, she appeared as a quick shadow darting across the rooftops. When she was as close as possible, she took a running start and leapt for the wall. 

“She isn’t going to make it,” Robin observed.

As Le Renard began to descend, she kicked at the air, but kept falling. There was a brief moment where the outlaw panicked, as she appeared to flap her arms. Then she kicked again and halted in mid-air. She paused for a moment before leaping again, this time landing neatly on top of the wall.

Robin could only stare.

“Huh. So I didn’t imagine that.” Zoro muttered.

“She did that before?”

“I think so, when she escaped. But I was falling in a hog pit so I wasn’t sure what I saw. Doesn’t look like she’s got it perfected.”

Robin shook her head silently as Le Renard slipped silently inside the garrison. Zoro spoke first.

“Doubt she ran all the way here. Can you find that ostrich of hers?”

His partner closed her eyes. Zoro waited as she searched every corner of town. After several seconds she opened her eyes. “This way.”

* * *

As Le Renard deflected the soldiers’ half-hearted attacks, she found herself hoping, not for the first time, the King returned soon. Normally she handled easy problems. One fight with a pirate a little too tough for the lieutenant and it was done. Criminal defeated and handed over, she rides off laughing. It was a great feeling, a clear and concrete success.

The most recent people she freed vanished into the alleys. She imagined they’d run for the hills. Everyone seemed to be retreating there these days. After giving them a few minutes cover, Le Renard dashed out the gate herself and down the street. Bullets whizzed past so far off-course she wondered if the shooter even had their eyes open. She supposed Marcel and his men were trying to defy the best they could. Once over the wall and into the maze of alleys leading to Charybdis, her thoughts returned to her current predicament.

She didn’t want to kill the lieutenant or his men, and while she didn’t have much (any) respect for the Regent or his goons, she doubted killing them would make the situation any better. Certainly her father and brother advised against it. That left her caught in this cycle of freeing people from imprisonment, only to see them jailed again the next week. And people were taking inspiration from her, wanting to fight.

She had dissuaded them so far. She could hide her identity, because she could escape easily. They didn’t have her skills, and if they did this, even once the Regent was removed by the King’s return. . . King Sommeil was kind, but not that kind. Not enough to ignore armed rebellion. Tesoro had been a criminal, but still an officer of the Kingdom’s army. Which is why she had a bounty on her head. Once begun, the others would never be able to return to their homes, not without overthrowing the King. And that kind of unrest might just put them more heavily under the World Government’s thumb. Father told her often the World Government was not kind to those who defied it.

She slowed her pace as she no longer heard the soldiers behind her. A few people peered out their windows as she slipped past like a leaf carried on the wind. She moved through a rear courtyard, saw one child watching from their upstairs window. The girl favored her with a wave and a gap-toothed smile. Le Renard returned the smile, then scaled the rear wall with a single quick leap. She performed a bow at the top, ignoring the twinge in her legs where the wounds the Pirate Hunter dealt her hadn’t healed, as the girl applauded.

She arrived at the small stable where she hid her mount. She entered through the loft and dropped to the straw-covered floor. Charybdis gave a warning honk and her blade was in her hand instantly.

“’Bout time you got here. Get lost or something?” The gruff tone was unmistakable. In the dim light, she could see the Pirate Hunter waiting, swords drawn, bandana tied around his head.

“Perhaps that is a common fault among swordsmen, Zoro.” Le Renard hadn’t expected the bounty hunter’s partner to be here. She was an unknown variable in a fight. The woman stood with Charybdis’ reins in one hand. The other had a firm grip on its neck. Had she allowed it to warn her, or simply be inattentive?

Le Renard needed to get out of this stable. Close confines were not to her advantage. But she couldn’t abandon Charybdis. The moment of hesitation cost her.

**“Demon Cutter!”**

Her sword rose to meet the attack, even as she leapt backwards. Wise decision, because her sword was swatted aside easily. She avoided being cut, but crashed through the stable doors out into the corral to do so.

She barely regained her footing before Roronoa was on her again, two blades held over his left shoulder. She jumped clear of the attack narrowly as the ground split beneath his strike. Stomping her feet, she was behind him in two bursts, before trying to dart forward. But Zoro already started another attack as he spun to meet hers.

 **“Kingfisher’s Hook!”** The right blade thrust forward, but as she drifted to her right, his left sword swung towards her from the side. She was just able to reverse course. Unfortunately, her back crashed against the wall of the stablemaster’s home.

The outlaw winced as her legs complained at the strain from the abrupt reverse in direction. It had been a long time since she needed to use these skills so often, longer since using them when injured. She knew she wounded the Pirate Hunter in their previous battle, but he didn’t seem slowed at all. If anything, his strength and speed were greater than before. She set aside the disquieting thought he perhaps held back last time.

She saw Miss Gespenst standing in the stable entrance, still holding Charybdis’ reins. She couldn’t decipher the woman’s expression, but it was not what she expected. Not excited at the prospect of capturing a large bounty, nor cold and contemptuous. Le Renard also noticed several of the townspeople - the stable hands, the cooper, their families, others - gathering at the edge of the corral, watching wide-eyed. A few cheered her on.

“I am surprised you were able to find where I hid Charybdis, Pirate Hunter,” she jibed, stalling for time. “But I suppose that is why you have Miss Gespenst, to help you find your way.”

Zoro didn’t respond. Instead, Zoro charged. She jumped straight up, above the attack that cut the wall as if it wasn’t there. She pushed off the wall firmly, aiming for the stable, flipping in mid-air. Landing lightly, she launched herself off it at his back, stabbing her rapier forward.

**“Fox Pounce!”**

He spun gracefully and parried her attack like she was a child’s balloon. Slightly redirecting her, rather than meeting her head-on. She put all her focus into the thrust, and combined with the push from Zoro’s swing, Le Renard went tumbling to one side. She turned it into a smooth roll and flipped up onto her feet. She expected another attack, but found her opponent hadn’t moved.

He inclined his head, sizing her up. “You want to keep going?”

She summoned a devil-may-care grin, blade ready, steadying her breathing. Loudly she taunted, “Of course. Do not grow overconfident, Mister Pirate Hunter. You may yet end up face down in the mud with the hogs again.”

The crowd laughed and cheered. Zoro settled into a stance, grinning fiercely around the katana gripped in his teeth. “Sure I might. If you run away again.”

Le Renard had a sharp comeback on her tongue when he charged. She jumped above him, and he spun to track her path. Rather than landing, she kicked off the air and rose, even as her legs screamed in protest at using a technique she was still learning. She ignored them. The crowd gasped. She ignored them, too, concentrating on going even higher. The high ground was one sure advantage she had now. Combine gravity with her own speed and strength, deliver an attack too swift to dodge, strong enough to break through his guar-

**“36 Pound Cannon!”**

Her eyes widened as a compressed mass of air barreled towards her. Startled, she couldn’t manage another kick, only able to twist to one side. The attack tore through her cape and part of her shirt and she tumbled to the ground. At the last moment, she managed a weak kick, slowing her fall enough to keep from crashing into the hard clay like a dead bird.

Another gasp from the crowd. Frightened rather than awed this time. 

“You took too long moving to attack.”

“I. . . will keep that. . . in mind.” Her side was on fire. At least one rib might be broken. Not the first of her life, but it had also been a while. 

_‘A lot of that going around tonight.’_

Rising slowly, sword held before her, resisting the urge to press her free arm against her injured side, she met his eyes. The Pirate Hunter watched her impassively. It reminded her of when her father put down an ostrich that had been mauled by a puma. There was no hostility, no glee in the act, but no pity, either. He waited for her next move, ready to face and conquer it. 

She hoped her eyes projected a similar will. Her legs felt dead. She might able to run, but not far enough to escape. 

Her time to decide was up. The blades in his hands came from every angle. She let her body go loose as she’d been taught, weaving and bending between and around them. Her rapier parried the rest. But she was losing ground, being pushed towards the fences.

She dodged an attack from his right sword and deflected the left. He twisted his neck and that white katana flashed past her nose, scoring a cut on her left shoulder. In that instant, head turned, his eyes were almost entirely blind to _her_ sword.

 **“Swift’s Flight!”** The attack started low on one side and went diagonally across the body, meant to loop above the enemy’s head and drop across their body the other way. Although with the position of Zoro’s head, the upward cut might just sever his jugular.

(She didn’t want to kill him, but she didn’t want lose, either.)

Her blade slashed across his torso, from the navel level heading towards his neck. But as it reached his chest, he somehow parried with the white katana, pushing her rapier across his right bicep instead. It was a wound, but not deep enough. And it left her open. 

Le Renard didn’t even notice Zoro’s left sword running her through until she felt the pressure of the guard against her stomach. She saw the blade being withdrawn, felt an almost gentle tug against her insides. She heard a wet sound distantly as it left her body. 

Once removed, it was as though the circuit from her brain to her legs was broken. She staggered backwards. The pain was sharp, but she kept from screaming. Taking a deep enough breath to do that with her ribs feeling like they did wouldn’t be a good idea, anyway. Someone screamed, but the voice was far away, and much younger than hers.

The Pirate Hunter stepped back. He seemed unbothered by his wound. With the moon behind him, beneath his torn shirt, his blood was dark like ichor. It ran down his arm, over his fingers, onto the blade in his right hand. Mirroring her blood that stained the sword in his left. His blades still ready, but he didn’t attack. 

_‘Probably sees no need.’_

She saw soldiers pushing through the crowd, but they were the Regent’s thugs, not Lieutenant Marcel’s men. She saw Charybdis thrashing to get free of Miss Gespenst’s grip.

“We’ll take it from here, bounty hunter.” That sneering, mush-faced goon of a captain, Malbeck, marched forward, only to stop abruptly as Zoro leveled a sword at him.

“What are you doing?”

“She hasn’t admitted defeat yet. The fight’s still going.”

“I’m not interested in your stupid codes,” Malbeck sneered. “This wretch is a criminal and danger to the prosperity of this kingdom. She’ll be arrested and executed.” He shot a glare at the crowd as an unhappy murmur broke out.

“Fine,” Zoro replied, turning his head slightly to make eye contact. “ _After_ our fight is done. Unless you want to tag in for her.” Malbeck took an immediate step back, and tried to push a few of his men forward. They didn’t comply.

And then all attention was on the ear-scraping honk of fury as Charybdis’ massive dark form burst through the soldiers’ ranks, scattering them like seeds from a dandelion. Without breaking stride, she bent her neck and grabbed her master by the scruff of her shirt. For a few seconds, the outlaw was dragged alongside and wondered if her ostrich decided to take revenge for all the dangerous stunts and jumps she’d been asked to perform over the years. Then Le Renard was lifted up and dumped into the saddle. One hand pressed to the wound, the other gripped the reins with the strength she had left.

The townspeople broke into a cheer, until it was stifled by the Captain’s glare. He turned it on Zoro, but the swordsman was unimpressed.

“Aren’t you going to pursue her, bounty hunter?”

“I can’t outrun a damn ostrich, you fucking idiot.”

Malbeck seethed, but turned his ire on what he perceived to be a safer target. “What were you thinking, letting go of the creature’s reins like that?”

Robin was no more impressed by his anger than Zoro, though she responded differently. “Oh, I am sorry. It’s just, it snapped at me all of the sudden.” She fluttered her hands, as though flustered. “I was so surprised, all I could think of was not being bitten. My father died of ostrich rabies. I must have let go.”

“It wouldn’t have been a problem if you just stayed out of it,” Zoro said as he sheathed his swords. The crowd parted for them. Whether because of how the fight went, the blood running down Zoro’s torso, or because they thought the Captain might try to shoot the bounty hunters in the back, was unclear.

* * *

“Raserei, I’ll keep watch. Just focus on what you’re doing,” Zoro said with a firm tone.

His partner looked up in surprise. His grey eyes met her blue ones. No anger, just calm reassurance. She thought she hid her unease.

They had returned to _Pipit_. Word of the battle spread through the town like fire. Even before they reached the inn, people were glaring and muttering. They’d been in their room five minutes when a rock came through the window. No further attacks followed, but Robin had dealt with angry mobs before. It might be just a matter of time until their courage grew. Or, they might strike at a safer target, like her ship. When she had suggested they leave, Zoro didn’t argue, even though he was still bleeding.

The innkeeper hadn’t objected when they told him they were checking out early.

Now the two bounty hunters sat on deck beneath a brilliant field of stars. A light shone warmly next to them as Robin stitched Zoro’s wounds carefully. In addition to the damage from Le Renard’s final attack, the swordsman reopened some of the injuries from the first battle.

He was content to sit silently while she worked, eyes on the darkened city, alert for danger. She was quick and careful with cleaning and stitching the wounds, and he offered no complaints.

Robin wasn’t sure if Le Renard’s last attack would leave a scar. Perhaps from where it started to the bottom of the sternum, but Zoro had managed to twist his body enough no organs were hit before he could parry. 

For which Robin was grateful. A deflated lung might have strained the limits of her medical knowledge.

She tried to redirect the conversation away from her worries. “I’m surprised you didn’t attack Captain Malbeck for interfering in your fight.”

“He wasn’t going to do anything, but Le Renard might have if I ignored her. She wasn’t ready to give up.” Zoro wasn’t sure what the outlaw had left, but he hadn’t expected that last attack either, so he wasn’t going to underestimate her. “Besides, aren’t you the one that told me to stay aware of my surroundings?”

“Indeed I did, I simply didn’t expect you to listen.”

Zoro raised a questioning eyebrow. “What are you saying, woman? I listen to your advice all the time.”

Robin matched his eyebrow with one of her own. “Oh? Then perhaps you’ll listen now and refrain from training for a few days.”

“A few days? For _this?!_ ” The swordsman sounded deeply offended. Robin was torn between being impressed by his blithe dismissal of his injuries, and amused at his outrage. She set both responses aside to reason with him.

“Zoro, there’s no rush. You wounded her at least as badly as she did you. Do you believe she was fully recovered from your first battle?”

He shook his head. “She was slower, or I was reading her moves better. She definitely wore out faster. She used that super-speed thing for almost two minutes straight in our first fight.” Zoro also thought she was a little too predictable with it. She always used her speed to try and get at his back, rather than ever attack head on.

Robin hummed in acknowledgement. “I believe she became too enamored of whatever she was doing to move in the air. It seemed to take a lot out of her.”

“Yeah? You really think it’s just leg strength?” The more Zoro considered it, the more likely it seemed. When she was braced and put her full body into an attack, rather than just her arm, she had some real power.

“Some Devil Fruits can convey increased strength and speed, but I would expect there to be some other outward manifestation. A physical transformation, a tail or wings perhaps, if she was a Zoan.”

“So, is it Isabellae?”

Robin finished the last stitch and applied bandages while she thought aloud. “Le Renard matches her physical dimensions, and the voice is right. I think she talks more loudly and brashly as Le Renard than Isabellae to throw people off. Although she should probably act demurer as herself to sell the disguise. But perhaps she’s always been that way, so no one connects the dots.” 

“We’ll see what happens the next few days. I doubt she’ll come out in public, or allow visitors, until she’s healed a bit.” Robin’s thoughts drifted briefly to Ferdinand. The young man would be deeply disappointed by his beloved’s absence.

“Which probably means no library visits for you.” Robin couldn’t believe how disappointed _Zoro_ sounded, until the reason dawned on her. She gave him a knowing smile.

“Probably not, but that means I’ll be here to make sure you don’t tear your stitches trying to train. Perhaps we can buy you more clothes. I still think you would look adorable in ruffles.”

She didn’t think she’d ever seen the swordsman so dismayed.

* * *

Robin settled on the bed in her cabin. Zoro insisted he’d be fine out on deck. As long as he actually rested, he would be fine, so she didn’t fight him on it.

She tried to relax. She felt more comfortable than she had at the inn. Not that this bed was better, but it was familiar. In a good way, safe and warm. Which was a nice change.

Even though they were docked securely, with the town mostly darkened and asleep under curfew, it felt like being back out on the open ocean. _Pipit_ rocking her gently on calm seas. Just her and Zoro, the two of them taking turns keeping watch.

And it was easier to defend themselves if a mob did arrive.

 _‘That wasn’t the only reason you wanted out of the inn.’_ The little voice whispered in her mind.

It was true. Robin had offered to share the bed with Zoro both as a show of good faith, and because it felt wrong somehow for him to sleep on the floor while she was in a bed.

(It was different on _Pipit_. The bed was too small, for one. And Zoro claimed a place on deck as “his” napping spot. When the weather turned ugly, they turned the benches in the galley into a bed as they had for Johnny and Yosaku.)

Robin knew from observation Zoro didn’t move much once asleep, and that she did, on the bad nights at least. On those nights, she usually woke to find herself cocooned tightly in the sheets, hiding away from her nightmares.

She hadn't expected him to wake her from a nightmare, and wondered if she said something revealing. Zoro only said she sounded frightened, and Robin wasn't sure how to ask without hinting at the things she was keeping hidden from him still.

She also hadn’t expected when she woke up each morning in that large bed to find herself having moved closer to the swordsman in the night. By last night, she was almost onto his side of the bed.

She wasn’t sure what to make of that development. It might have been fun to tease Zoro, to have him awaken one morning to find her pressed up against him, but not when her body seemed to be doing so without her knowledge.

(She didn’t know how Zoro would react. When she tried to picture it, she saw several outcomes. Zoro turning bright red, or shrugging and accepting her presence, going back to sleep. Or he might pull her closer, embrace her passionately. Or shove her away, spitting curses at her, telling her to keep her bloodstained hands off.

She highly doubted that last one would happen. But her tendency to expect the worst left her unwilling to risk it just for a joke, let alone as a result of some subconscious action her body made while she slept.)

So she didn’t mind being back in her own bed at all. Where there was no possibility of her rolling towards Zoro in her sleep.

If, of course, she could have fallen asleep. Her mind was running in a dozen directions at once, and she knew from experience it would be hours before it had pursued those threads sufficiently to quiet down. Seeing both Zoro and Le Renard wounded as they were had put her on edge, especially with the soldiers _(Marines, hiding, why are they hiding?)_ advancing, and with her and Zoro hemmed in by a wall of people. People who could become a seething mass of fists and blunt tools aimed at her at any moment. Past memories threatened to surface.

She made her way topside, bare feet almost silent on the wood, single sheet wrapped around her (it was warm enough that was all she needed with her pajamas). She found Zoro where she expected: leaned against the railing, swords at his side, alternating between staring at the sky and watching the shadows on the nearby ships and buildings. He turned his head as she walked outside, nodded once.

Robin settled in her deck chair. She wanted some coffee, but knew she wouldn’t sleep at all if she did. Unless Zoro tricked her again.

“Too wound up to sleep?” he asked, turning his attention back to the waterfront.

“Yes. It was an exciting night.” He must know she let the ostrich go, let it rescue its master. Interfered in his fight. He hadn’t said anything so far. Hadn’t glared at her, spat accusations, or tensed under her touch as she treated his wounds.

“I should apologize for disrupting your duel.”

Zoro looked her way, then shrugged. “Like you said, those Marines had already done that. I wasn’t gonna get to fight her without fighting them first. She’d probably have escaped anyway, while I was doing that.”

“Besides,” his teeth gleamed as he grinned at her, “I wouldn’t want you to catch ostrich rabies.”

Robin chuckled. “How considerate of you.”

“Are ostrich rabies a real thing?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“Heh.”

They lapsed into silence again.

“I haven’t seen anyone around,” Zoro offered quietly.

Robin didn’t answer, instead scattering eyes and ears for blocks in all directions. Not that she doubted Zoro’s awareness, she simply had a longer reach. For her own peace of mind. She didn’t find any sign of people gathering, preparing to march their way.

The tension in her chest eased, just a bit. She settled deeper into her chair, legs tucked under her, sheet wrapped around her securely.

“Be sure to wake me in a few hours, Zoro. You need rest as well.”

He initially offered a single grunt, but after a minute added, “Good night, Raserei.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm fiddling around with creating some attacks for Zoro. Nothing that's going to replace the old standbys, but just something to show he's trying to grow and develop at a faster pace.
> 
> Next time: Robin makes another trip to the library. Zoro gets bored enough to try his hand at arts and crafts. And reconnaissance.


	23. A Little Bit of Talk, A Whole Lotta Wine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin offers a troubled Isabellae some advice. Zoro tries to combat boredom by being helpful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think since I "finished" writing this thing at the end of July, I've added at least another 7k words to it. I can't tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Breakfast was held on deck, mostly of things that were going to go bad soon anyway. Robin made note of what they would need to purchase before they left, whenever that was. Really, just having her own coffee was the most important thing.

The meal completed and the plates cleaned – it had taken some time, but Zoro had stopped breaking dishes. (Not letting him wash dishes blindfolded as training helped.) They were preparing to leave when a voice called from the dock.

“Miss Gespenst? Are you there?”

Stepping outside, Robin found Pate waiting uncertainly.

“Yes, Pate? Can I help you?” she asked politely as Zoro emerged behind her, watching the man carefully. The servant quailed momentarily under Zoro’s stern gaze, but gathered himself.

“I’m here to see if you would like to use the library today.”

Robin hadn’t expected that, but adjusted quickly. “I would love to, if it won’t cause problems.”

“No problems, ma’am. Master du Champ is out inspecting the herd, then has a meeting with the Regent this afternoon. I’ve brought the wagon, if you’re ready.”

“Just give me a moment to grab my things.” She was back on deck in less than a minute. Zoro leaned against the railing.

“Careful it isn’t a trap,” he whispered as she passed. “They might be out for revenge.”

“I am certain you would come to the rescue if it is, wouldn’t you Mister Swordsman?” she smiled playfully, even as her mind moved on the same track.

Zoro’s expression remained serious. “Obviously. But I won’t be anywhere close, so you’d have to warn me somehow.”

His concern stirred something warm in her. She put one hand on his shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

“Don’t worry Zoro, I’ll be careful.” She stepped off the ship and followed Pate, calling over her shoulder. “And remember, no training!”

* * *

“Miss Gespenst.” 

Robin met Alexandre as Pate led her through the foyer to the library. Not that she wasn’t capable of finding it, but she supposed it was the servant’s responsibility to make sure she didn’t stray where she wasn’t allowed.

In contrast to his behavior in their earlier meetings, Alexandre was distinctly unfriendly. He stood stiffly, eyes cold. Did not bow, offer his hand, or ask for hers.

Well, he wasn’t the first hostile person Robin had to act polite towards. She curtsied. _‘And he has reason if he holds Zoro and I responsible for injuring his sister.’_

“Good morning, Mister du Champ. I thank you for again allowing me to visit your father’s library.”

His eyes didn’t thaw. Robin didn’t think the look of bottled anger suited the young man.

“It was not _my_ invitation, Miss Gespenst.”

His speech was sharp, words clipped and cold. Robin felt the hair on her neck rise, the notion of a trap playing in her mind. 

“Brother!”

Isabellae stood at the top of the staircase, glaring. The anger on her face, not contained like her brother’s, contrasted sharply with the unusual pallor of her skin.

Alexandre moved past Pate and Robin without a second glance and rushed up the stairs. “What are you doing out of bed? You need to be resting!”

“I would be, except you are behaving rudely towards our guest. Really Andre, if you were in no mood to entertain, you could simply have let Miss Gespenst be. I’m sure she would prefer to be left to Father’s books if all you are going to do is act like a petulant child.”

Alexandre looked ready to argue, but his sister ignored him. “Pate, would you please bring two cups of coffee from the kitchen? Miss Gespenst already knows the way to the library.”

The old man nodded and departed. Robin understood the siblings wanted to argue without an audience, and made a beeline for the library. She did, of course, leave an ear hidden near the stairs, just in case.

* * *

“There’s no cause for your rudeness. Really, you are acting like Father!”

“Maybe it’s because he was right! We don’t need these bounty hunters here!”

“You were quite happy to have them here when you wanted to flirt with her!”

“That was before last night!”

Neither Alexandre nor Isabellae used the phrase “Le Renard”. From what they did say, it seemed clear Alexandre blamed Zoro, and by association her, for Isabellae’s condition. His sister argued that it wasn’t so bad, and that they had in fact helped her escape far worse.

Robin supposed it was possible they had exposed the young woman to a weak strain of a deadly disease non-native to the island, but that seemed extremely unlikely.

* * *

She smiled distractedly at Pate as he brought the coffee, setting both cups in front of her. Robin raised an eyebrow, but the man offered no explanation. He inclined his head slightly, then left.

Once she had inspected the coffee enough to be certain it wasn’t drugged – they hadn’t drugged any of her coffee on past visits, but old habits, like Robin herself, died hard – she sipped at it as she read.

Alexandre had given up a few minutes ago and stormed out of the house, if the door slamming was any clue. Judging by the soft, slow footfalls, Isabellae was making her way to the library alone. Robin rose from her chair to open the door, then helped the young woman to her seat.

Isabellae smiled gratefully and leaned heavily against the armrest on her left side. She was certainly favoring her right, where Zoro had stabbed Le Renard the night before.

“If you don’t mind my asking, what happened?”

Her host smiled wanly. “I was out surveying our property with Alexandre yesterday. He made a jump over a dry creek bed look easy. In my excitement, I forgot I’m not as good a rider as him. My mount made it, but I lost my seat on the landing and fell on a jagged rock.”

 _‘She might want to come up with different excuses, instead of always leaning on riding accidents.’_

“That’s most unfortunate. Then, he is being overprotective because he feels responsible.”

Isabellae nodded. “I knew Father would be gone today before that ride, so I already planned to invite you, hoping you could act as chaperone for Ferdinand and I again. But I don’t feel I’m up to entertaining him.”

“If you need to rest, I can leave. Your health shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

Robin actually meant it, and not only because she wasn’t likely to be allowed back if Isabellae died. She found herself liking the girl, the curiosity and excitement that seemed to come easily to her, and assuming Robin was correct, her willingness to fight for what she thought was important. 

Nico Robin had been party to many deaths, she didn’t wish to be party to this one.

The girl laughed, although she regretted it immediately. “That’s what Alexandre says, but you are much less demanding of a guest than Ferdinand. If I sit here and nap, you won’t consider it rude.”

Robin chuckled. “No. Zoro often naps while we travel between islands. The seas can be quite peaceful.”

“I imagine so.” A wistful look crossed Isabellae’s face, then vanished. “Have you found anything of interest so far today?”

Robin accepted the change of conversation. “This volume holds some interesting insights about remnants of the Ancient World in the North Blue. That’s not really my area of expertise, but it’s unusual. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to examine this collection.”

Isabellae smiled, the strongest one so far. “I’m glad. You won’t mind if I take that nap, will you?”

Robin shook her head, and the girl fell asleep within minutes. Robin rose and stretched her out, careful of her wounded side. Isabellae had worn a light-colored, loose-fitting shirt, and Robin could see the bandage stained dull red underneath.

* * *

Zoro regretted agreeing to hold off training. He already checked and cleaned his swords twice. Pointless, since he’d done it last night after Raserei finished treating his wounds.

He tried taking a nap, but without having done anything strenuous, he didn’t feel tired. He finished the book on Wano during the trip to Papillion Island. He started the one on the hired gunmen defending the town Raserei bought. It wasn’t bad. He liked the characters, how they defined themselves, whether it matched what other people expected or not.

At wit’s end for something to do, he pulled out some of Raserei’s blank paper and a pencil and took a seat on the deck. He looked up at the ships and buildings around him, then spun around to face the sea and started drawing. He took his time, trying to recall important details, the places attacks could come from. Doorways and ledges, locations where you could have a wall at your back. Every brush stroke considered carefully, because you couldn't take it back. Even if Zoro was using a pencil instead of a brush, so he technically could just erase the line. But that would be cheating.

When he was done, he held it up to compare. It looked good, he thought, given the buildings moved after he started. He didn’t really see the point of this, but Sensei always insisted it was useful.

Having not done any physical training, he didn’t really feel hungry, so he skipped lunch. Meditated for a bit. Tried to extend his senses to his surroundings. At least he could train in his mind that way. Replayed both his fights with Le Renard, focusing on how she was doing those weird moves. It would be pretty cool to walk on air.

Zoro tried it, jumping in the air and kicking beneath him as hard as he could. Nothing happened, he just fell back to the deck. Either his kick wasn’t strong enough, or he was doing it wrong. It didn’t matter. If they fought again, Zoro wouldn’t have enough time to figure it out. He’d just have to win anyway. Le Renard would probably be better at the air walking next time, now that she knew she had it down.

(And OK, he did do a little training. But it hardly qualified. Only a few hundred one-handed handstand push-ups. He didn’t even use the injured arm! And hardly any weights. A couple hundred pounds at most! Just to keep his body loose!)

He got tired of sitting on the boat and decided to walk a bit. People whispered and pointed. Women glared, children stuck their tongues out.

Zoro let them. It didn’t matter. They were mad he beat their hero? Tough. Maybe they should fight the soldiers themselves, instead of expecting her to do it for them. Zoro was going to become the World’s Greatest Swordsman, and help Raserei find this Lost History. Everything else was training towards those goals, or a distraction. Le Renard was the former, these people were the latter.

He tried checking that warehouse the Marines were using, but couldn’t find it. He’d wonder who would move an entire warehouse, but hell, people were always moving entire towns around, what was one building?

At least these Marines had a reason to hide the place. They were up to no good. He wondered how many of these other people were in on it. 

“Mister Roronoa?” He turned to see Lieutenant Marcel and his sergeant, What’s-His-Nuts.

“Yeah?”

“I wondered if you needed some help. You keep walking past the garrison.”

“I’m not lost!” Zoro insisted. Why did everyone insist he got lost?

“Oh, of course not!” the soldier agreed hastily. “But if you are seeking something, perhaps I can help you find it? I know these streets very well, including some shortcuts you wouldn’t.”

“Especially ones that lead to food or drink,” the sergeant snarked, ignoring the glare his superior shot at him.

“What are you trying to say, _Corporal?_ ”

“I’m a Sergeant, Lieutenant.”

“That remains to be seen!”

Zoro was about to tell them to take this shit somewhere else, but had another idea. “What can you tell me about those fortresses?”

Their argument stopped. “Which fortresses? The ones out on the points?”

Which other fortresses were there? Wait, were there others? Shit, Raserei would want to know that. “Yeah, the ones out on the points, and any others, I guess. Raserei thought they looked pretty old, so she was curious about their history.”

The lieutenant’s confused look brightened considerably. “She should have come and asked me! I can tell you all about them! But I am feeling rather thirsty, and the sun is very hot, don’t you think?” He wiped his forehead dramatically.

Zoro shrugged indifferently. “I’ve felt worse.”

Marcel’s face fell. “Ah. Well, it seems very hot to me. Perhaps we can discuss this inside? In the tavern?”

Zoro had the sudden realization he better make sure he claimed the bounty on Le Renard.

* * *

Hours passed, silent except for the turn of pages and scratch of Robin’s pencil. Isabellae slept on the couch. Occasionally she coughed harshly, before her breathing smoothed out again. As the sunlight through the window moved towards the sleeping girl, Robin rose and drew the curtains, turning on a nearby light. The quiet, cozy atmosphere reminded her of Ohara. Pate entered the room once, to collect Robin’s empty cups, closing the doors carefully behind him on the way out. Other than that, the entire world might as well have fallen into another dimension.

Robin found a wealth of information she had never seen before. She wondered, not for the first time, how Champ du Rene came to own so many rare books, and why.

None of it told her where she might find a Poneglyph, though. There were still other promising volumes on the shelves. Robin hoped she had time to read them.

Finally, Isabellae stirred. She blinked her eyes, looking confused as to where she was. She started to stretch, and Robin tried to warn her to stop, but it was too late. The young woman sat upright, hissing in pain and clutching at her side.

More awake now, she surveyed her surroundings again, eyes landing on her guest. She glanced to the window, checking the sun’s outline through the curtains.

“I slept for some time.”

“I would say you needed it. Rest is good for your body when it’s hurt.”

“You must have some experience with that, working with Mister Roronoa.”

Robin chuckled. “Less than you think. When he’s injured, and most needs to rest, he’s least willing. He would rather train, to eliminate the weakness he believes allowed him to be injured.” 

She thought about it. Zoro was probably training right now. She might need to stop and purchase more bandages on the way back to the ship. 

Or perhaps not. “He does heal faster than I would expect, though.”

“I’ve noticed,” the girl muttered softly. Robin pretended not to hear. Silence reigned for several minutes. Robin read, Isabellae worried her lower lip. Finally, she spoke.

“Miss Gespenst, Raserei, have you ever thought you were going to die?”

Robin didn’t hesitate. “Yes. On more than one occasion.”

Isabellae leaned forward. “Were you frightened?”

“Yes.” 

This was true, and not. Robin had been frightened, badly, in the beginning. Aokiji, then the first few times people who seemed helpful turned out to be deceitful. Fleeing from mobs through dark woods. Slipping away from an island just as a Marine vessel appeared on the far horizon. 

Eventually, though, she’d grown accustomed to Death as, not a companion exactly, but something she knew was always around. She kept a wary eye open for it. If she saw it coming, she could redirect it at those who intended it to take her.

She wasn’t frightened of it now, because she knew there was no escaping it. It was simply a matter of somehow prolonging things until she found the answers she sought.

Robin didn’t say any of that aloud, though Isabellae clearly hoped she would elaborate. When she didn’t, the girl slumped back, defeated.

The historian watched her closely. “Did you believe you would die of your injury?”

Isabellae nodded her head just slightly. “For a few moments, no longer than that, I was certain it would be my end.”

“And it frightened you?”

“Yes. I didn’t expect it. It had never been so bad before. Did your close calls come while you pursued your work?”

“They’re all related to it, yes.”

“But you accept that. You won’t give it up?”

Robin shook her head. “My work, it’s too important to me. It’s what I have left of people who were precious to me. I’m not certain what I would do if I abandoned it.”

“You could continue to travel with Mister Roronoa,” Isabellae offered hopefully.

“No, Zoro and I are a partnership of convenience. We’re helping each other. If I abandoned my goal, I doubt we would stick together.” 

She wasn’t certain that was true. She hoped it wasn’t. It would be nice to keep traveling with Zoro. But would he hold her to her promise to help him, if she no longer had a dream of her own for him to aid with? Or would he decide she was drag on his pursuit of becoming World’s Greatest Swordsman? That she was weak for abandoning her dream, and cast her aside?

Irrelevant questions. She was not going to stop her search.

She turned the question on Isabellae. “Are you planning to give up because of your injury?”

The girl startled back as if slapped. “I, I don’t know.” She wilted. “There are so many other things I would like to do.”

Robin continued more gently, not wanting to hurt her further. “There’s nothing wrong with that. There are things I’ve forgone because I thought they weren’t worth it. If. . . riding, isn’t something you are truly passionate about, the excitement may not be good enough reason to continue.”

Robin let that sink in before continuing. “Unless there is more to it than just excitement. Then you’ll have to decide.”

“I’ll have to think about that. Thank you, Raserei.” She rose unsteadily. “I think my father will be home soon. I’ll have Pate give you a ride back to town.”

* * *

“. . . And then, in 1627, the east fortress fell into the sea when half of the land beneath it fell into the sea after an unfortunate accident in the powder magazine!”

“There were 27 casualties,” Sergeant Durant added morosely. “We have a parade to commemorate the day every year.”

“Yes, a terrible occasion,” Lieutenant Marcel agreed. “but a lovely parade. And there are food carts. Rachelle makes this gooseberry jam just for that day. It is so wonderful on crepes!”

The lieutenant looked like he was in sheer rapture thinking of the jam. Zoro felt a splitting headache coming on like an avalanche. Marcel and his sergeant knew a whole lot about those fortresses (there weren’t any others, thankfully). But none of it so far was what he thought Raserei was interested in.

Well, she might find the part about the fortress sinking interesting.

_‘Woman can be damn morbid sometimes.’_

“Fortunately, the King’s Chief Engineer, Bronson Picard, was able to build a more compact fortress on the remaining land.”

“And we store the extra powder in the garrison now,” Durant mentioned.

OK, that might be useful. “So the cannons are just for show?”

Marcel started to answer, but first reached for the wine bottle. He found it empty, shaking it sadly like a beggar tin’s cup. Zoro sighed and motioned for another bottle. 

The lieutenant poured himself a full cup gleefully and took a deep draught before speaking. “No, but they would only be good for a few shots until the powder was delivered.”

“Doesn’t sound like the do much good for stopping attacks. Or do you wait until pirates get past them, then move the cannons to blast them from behind?”

“The fortresses each have transponder snails to contact us when they see pirates. We can deliver the extra powder before they need it.” The lieutenant looked at Zoro curiously. “But why are you asking about that? I thought Miss Gespenst was interested in history?”

 _‘Shit.’_ Zoro tried wracking his brains for a plausible excuse, but the lieutenant came to his own conclusion.

“You are interested in weapons, aren’t you Mister Roronoa?”

“Uh. . . yeah. That’s it.”

The lieutenant offered a big, cheerful smile. “I understand entirely. I heard one of your attacks is named after cannons.”

“Yep. Really like cannons. Very cool.” Zoro grimaced. He sounded like a fucking idiot. How did that woman do this so easily? What would she ask? What did she need to know to feel safe? 

Things that only a few people knew. Which would be what?

“Secret passages.” Zoro didn’t know why he said that aloud.

“Pardon?”

“Are there any, you know, hidden ways into the fortresses? Raserei would think that was really, uh, neat.”

“Oh, of course!” Marcel nodded, then swiftly grabbed the wine bottle as Durant reached for it. The sergeant frowned as his commander emptied it into his own glass. Zoro sighed and signaled for another. This time he took the bottle and poured some into the sergeant’s cup.

“Well?”

“Hmm?” the lieutenant was smacking his lips.

“Secret passages.”

“Oh yes. No, there aren’t any of those to the fortresses.”

“Some of the big ranchers are supposed to have them in their homes?” Durant offered. “Hidden doors behind bookcases and fireplaces.”

Zoro felt a brief chill at the thought of someone using one of those to ambush Raserei, but dismissed it. More likely she’d find it first and surprise them.

“How do you know that, Sergeant?” Marcel asked, trying to distract his subordinate and reach for the bottle. 

Durant intercepted him this time. He shrugged indifferently. “I heard Captain Tesoro talking to Regent Greenleaf once. Something about a way into the hills. They don’t notice enlisted men,” he offered as explanation.

Zoro remembered that name. “What about the Captain?”

“You mean Malbeck, the Regent’s guard?”

“No, that guy’s a loser,” Zoro said dismissively. Marcel gasped, eyes darting around the room, while Durant nodded. “I mean the one Le Renard’s supposed to have killed.”

“You mean Captain Tesoro.”

“Yeah, sure. Killing him doesn’t seem like her style. I mean, she doesn’t kill you guys. And none of you seem to be trying real hard to avenge your captain.”

“Now hold on a moment Mister Roronoa!” Marcel actually got heated, but noticing the other customers staring, gathered himself and took his seat again. 

“We had the greatest respect for the late Captain.”

“Lieutenant, you said Captain Tesoro was a tyrant and bully.”

“That does not mean we do not respect him! It would be disrespectful to ignore some of his character. . . uh, deficiencies.”

“So this Tesoro threw his weight around, and that got him crosswise of Le Renard? Or he just didn’t like vigilantes?”

The two soldiers exchanged glances. “Both,” they replied simultaneously.

“Captain Tesoro liked to conduct frequent raids on the homes of the farmers and smaller ranchers up in the hills. He claimed they were hiding stolen goods, but we never found any.”

“Mr. Diaw had that cart of stolen cabbages that one time.”

“Thank you, Sergeant,” Marcel said sarcastically. “We never found any stolen goods, except that one time we found a cart of half-rotten cabbages.” 

The bottle was empty. Another arrived. Zoro resisted the urge to bang his head against the table. 

“Oddly, the Captain always went into the fields or forests behind their homes.” The lieutenant shook his head. “I suppose he felt awkward about using their bathrooms while we tore their homes apart.”

* * *

“Would you let me off here, Pate. I believe I see my partner in some distress.”

The old man followed Robin’s gaze as he slowed the wagon. “I don’t understand. He’s just walking down the street.”

“Yes,” she explained with a deadpan expression, “Right now Zoro faces his greatest foe.”

Leaving Pate to his confusion, she waved to the swordsman. He brightened when he saw her, grumpy scowl replaced by a small smile.

“Guess it wasn’t a trap.” The two fell in step together, Robin’s hand touching his just slightly to guide him.

“No, although I believe Isabellae did have an ulterior motive.” She went on to describe their conversation.

“So it’s definitely her,” Zoro said, “and she might be losing her nerve.”

“Perhaps,” Robin admitted. “I believe you present a different level of challenge than she’s accustomed to.”

“You can’t be a swordsman if you’re afraid of being cut, or of losing. If she was going to keep this up, she’d learn that sooner or later.”

“Did you?”

“Yeah. Not right off on the being cut part, but once I went to sea, I had to learn. Bounties weren’t going to stop fighting just because I got hurt.”

“And the other part?”

“Losing? I was never _afraid_ of losing. I just didn’t always realize it was a possibility. Needed the wake-up call. More than once, actually.” The corner of Zoro’s mouth curled up in a fond smile.

“Really?”

“What do you think that ass-kicking you handed me was?”

Robin absorbed that silently. They walked slowly, not going any place in particular. The sun dropped lower. Combined with the steady breeze blowing in from the sea, the air cooled rapidly.

Zoro waited, recognizing the thoughtful look on her face. “What’s on your mind?”

“Zoro, if you face her again, please don’t kill her.”

If this had been an ordinary bounty, Robin would have researched Le Renard ahead of time and concluded she wasn’t someone that was a threat to innocent people. She would have guided Zoro away from the outlaw, as she had occasionally in the past.

His gaze stayed pointed straight ahead. “You’re worried about her.”

“Yes. She’s not a person who deserves death.” That sounded hopelessly naïve, but Robin had known and killed many people she felt did deserve their fates, and the idealistic young woman wasn’t one of them.

“That means I can’t fight her at all. If I win and she’s captured, she’s just as dead. Just be the soldiers who finish it.”

Robin knew that was true, same as she knew Zoro had chosen Le Renard as a target as much for the hopes of facing a challenging swordsman as earning money. “I know I’m interfering in your fight, but I’m still aski – “

“It’s fine.”

“Really?” Robin had been bracing for a heated argument, but the swordsman seemed unconcerned.

Zoro shrugged. “I’d like to fight her again, and win conclusively. But, I already fought her twice. If I haven’t finished her yet, that’s on me.” And if she’d lost the will to fight, then he had beaten her. 

Zoro glanced at his partner. “You know that means no bounty though, right?”

Robin felt surprisingly light. “I think we’re still doing well on funds.” Zoro’s eyes dropped to the ground. “What is it?”

“I was asking that lieutenant about the fortresses on the points for you, and that Captain, but he got a lot of booze out of me in the process.”

Robin laughed. “I imagine so. And you still aren’t allowing yourself any, are you?”

“You know I’m not, woman,” he grumbled. “Not until I figure things out.”

“You really should leave information gathering to me.” Seeing his glum expression, she patted his shoulder lightly. “I doubt we’re in that dire a situation. And if we are, there will be other bounties. Or I can earn some money playing cards. I’m quite good, you know.”

“I watched you take Johnny and Yosaku to the cleaners often enough.” He couldn’t help chuckling at the memory of their old partners’ dismayed expressions as Raserei would beat whatever hands they played.

“To be fair, their poker faces were very poor.” She laughed.

His laughter joined hers in rolling through the streets. “Got that right.”

* * *

The pair wound their way through town, approaching their ship. In the setting sun, the two fortresses sat on the small spits of land, one side nearly on fire, the other a fathomless shadow.

“What information did Lieutenant Marcel provide in exchange for his drinks?”

“Hold it!”

From one of the alleys stepped Alicia, who Robin remembered berating the lieutenant their first day in town. Several more people emerged from other shadows. Zoro recognized them as ones he’d met in the wilderness that day.

He eyed them appraisingly, hand resting on his swords. “I wondered if you all were going to get the nerve to do something, or just scowl.”

“Don’t think you can frighten us this time, bounty hunter,” Alicia spat.

“I didn’t even attack you last time,” he retorted. “You frightened yourselves. I told you I wasn’t interested in you.”

Robin kept silent, gauging the crowd’s mood as she settled into a ready stance. Zoro could defeat them easily, but Robin didn’t really want to be in the middle of it when she was unarmed and trying to conceal her identity. At least none of them were carrying guns. Probably hoping to keep this quiet.

“We know what you’re interested in,” one of the men snarled. “You think you can make money handing Le Renard over to the Regent?”

“There’s a bounty on her head, that’s typically how that works,” Zoro responded flippantly. Maybe this guy _was_ the village idiot.

As the crowd closed in, Robin prepared to point out Zoro promised not to fight the outlaw again, but he wasn’t finished, taking another step forward. The crowd unconsciously stepped back. 

“If you care so much about Le Renard, why are you making her do all the work? I don’t see any of you busting your friends out when they get locked up, or fighting the soldiers. You let her take all the risk, then act surprised when they slap a huge bounty on her and her alone.”

“That’s not what’s happening!” another woman cried. “Le Renard doesn’t want us to act!”

“Because she fears you will be injured, or declared outlaws like her,” Robin interjected. “But that does, as Zoro pointed out, mean she is the one who gets hurt.”

The crowd stopped, exchanging guilty looks. Zoro's glare intensified and shattered whatever momentum the mob had left.

“You’re here trying to attack me because I beat her in a one-on-one fight. You think I might kill her; what do you think I’ll do to _you?_ The soldiers can’t come close to harming her. Why are you afraid to face them?”

Having apparently said his piece, Zoro walked towards one section of the crowd. As with the night before, they parted wordlessly. Robin kept wary eyes around as they reached _Pipit_ , but the group dispersed like smoke from a long-extinguished campfire.

Robin took a few deep breaths to calm herself. It was OK, they weren't under attack. She seized on a distraction. “And just where did you meet all those interesting people, Zoro?”

The swordsman began sweating, refusing to meet her eyes.

“Out in the desert while I was training. And before you say anything, I didn’t mention them when you asked what I did that day because they _aren’t_ interesting. And because I told them I wouldn’t tell anyone.” He mumbled that last part. 

At her raised eyebrow, he quickly explained. “Because I really didn’t care. They weren’t going to do anything, and they know we aren’t their real enemies, whether they want to admit it or not.”

She mulled that over. With anyone else, she’d find the omission suspicious. Reason to suspect betrayal. With Zoro, well. . . She could believe he really wouldn’t care. And if he’d given his word, she knew the value he placed on that.

She realized he was watching her intently in the fading light of dusk, awaiting her response. 

_‘He’s worried. Worried I’ll take it as a breach of trust.’_

“I understand you gave your word, Zoro. I won’t ask you to betray any other promises you may have made, but is there anyone else you may have angered you haven’t mentioned? You don’t have to be specific.”

He huffed in embarrassment. “How would I know? Seems like the whole town hates my guts for fighting their hero, but I haven’t gone out of my way to piss anyone off. I wasn’t trying to piss _them_ off! I found them by accident, and they wouldn’t believe it!”

“Your sense of direction is rather hard to believe.”

“Hey!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I co-opted some of Piandao's training methods into Koshiro's. 
> 
> (Although really I tend to compare Zoro to Toph in that I think Koshiro tried to teach Zoro culture and manners, rather than send some near-feral child into the world with three swords, and Zoro, like Toph, basically discarded most of it. What's the point of manners with Luffy as your captain?)


	24. High Noon at Sundown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The situation on Papillion Island boils over. Everyone has decisions to make.

No came to invite her to the library over the next two days, so Robin and Zoro whiled away the time in town. Zoro resumed training in earnest, including trying to unlock the secrets behind Le Renard’s peculiar skills. Robin couldn’t help with his awareness training, wary of anyone who might be spying on their ship. Instead, she spent her time trying to puzzle through what she’d learned, and the results of Zoro’s questioning of Marcel and Durant. 

The town itself was largely silent for the two days, simmering sullenly in the heat. Everyone seemed to be preparing for something, an expectant tension in the air. The Regent’s guards were suspiciously absent, the equipment in the crates missing.

The fortresses on the points seemed vulnerable, but Robin couldn’t envision that the plan was to attack them as part of a coup. If you were going to try that, it would be better not to rouse suspicion and unrest, when all the Regent had done up to then was making enemies.

Perhaps they’d use the equipment to undermine the fortresses? Stage a pirate attack to lure Marcel’s men there, then sink the fortresses to into the sea as one did before, making it appear to be a natural disaster?

But that wouldn’t explain the fixation on the homesteads in the hills. The land wasn’t especially fertile, and Robin couldn’t find any mineralogical surveys that suggested great wealth. Which didn’t mean they didn’t exist, just the city archives had no records of them. A plot to acquire the land for cheap or for nothing by harassing the owners was likely, but it was never attempted, then or now.

And wouldn’t explain why Captain Tesoro commandeered the du Champ home. Lieutenant Marcel said the Captain suspected Le Renard operated in the area, but had shown no more interest in scouring the countryside than he had in searching the homes his solders raided. Perhaps he figured out Isabellae was Le Renard? Or something else? Durant’s comment on a “way into the hills” seemed important.

Robin didn’t have enough information, and felt as though she was running out of time and sources. It left a familiar knot of tension in her stomach she tried to ignore.

She and Zoro would just have to be on guard.

* * *

Time ran out the next morning. As Robin and Zoro made a circuit of the town, the air was abuzz with activity. For once, the bounty hunters were not the subject of attention wherever they went, which suited the both of them just fine.

“What’s everybody fired up about?” Zoro asked.

“Why assume I know, Mister Swordsman?”

“Because you can’t help listening in.” He said with a knowing smirk. “So, spill.”

“It seems several people tried storming the Regent’s home last night and were captured,” Robin answered. “Perhaps you have a future as a motivational speaker.”

“Huh.” He hadn’t expected that. “So I should get ready for Le –“

Robin saw the swordsman’s eyes light up in anticipation, then dim immediately.

“Never mind.”

“I’m sorry Zoro, but thank you.”

He shrugged. “It’s fine. I wouldn’t enjoy fighting a wounded opponent.”

It was true, although Zoro hoped Le Renard would devise something new, a greater challenge to overcome.

Robin meant to say something, but Pate’s arrival distracted her. She turned to Zoro, but he cut her off.

“Don’t make sad eyes, Raserei. I’ll find something to do. Just hurry up and read those books so we can leave.”

* * *

Zoro intended to head back into the scrubland to train, but the streets twisted around and brought him to the garrison. No one was coming close, but many people milled about nearby, watching closely, anxious tension in the air. The heavy wooden doors were closed, the guards more alert than he’d ever seen them.

One door swung open for two soldiers to emerge, relieving those standing watch. Lieutenant Marcel stuck his head out cautiously, peering around with big nervous eyes.

“Worried someone’ll shoot your hat off?”

“That’s not a funny joke, Mister Roronoa. Someone just might!”

The swordsman eyed the crowd across the street again. “I doubt it. Not in broad daylight, anyway.” He grinned wickedly as the lieutenant gulped nervously and sweated more profusely than usual.

“You are probably right.”

“Shouldn’t you be more worried about Le Renard? Guess if she frees the prisoners tonight, you probably won’t get shot at.”

The soldier stepped fully outside the garrison, gesturing for Zoro to follow him around the corner. He whispered, “I would like it very much if she did, but I don’t think Le Renard will have the chance. The Regent has ordered all the prisoners executed at sunset.” He gestured to gallows under construction behind the garrison.

“Can he do that? They don’t get a trial?”

The lieutenant looked even more miserable. “They attacked the King’s representative, so unfortunately, yes.”

“We aren’t afraid to die!” One of the prisoners shouted. It was Alicia. “Le Renard does not fight alone!” Other prisoners took up the cry, and Zoro heard it echoed from the alleys nearby.

The moss-haired swordsman grimaced. _‘Great.’_

* * *

Robin was running out of the books she thought might prove useful, and had found nothing. Nothing hinted at any Poneglyph in the East Blue, or anywhere else for that matter.

She wondered again if she was missing something. Perhaps she wasn’t intelligent enough to solve this problem. The wrong person to carry the legacy of Professor Clover and the others. She shook her head sharply, blocked out the cruel whispers in the back of her mind.

_‘Focus.’_

Isabellae kept her company through the day. Robin again played chaperone while Ferdinand visited. The young man seemed quite concerned for his love, which Robin found rather sweet. In contrast, Isabellae barely noticed, lost in thought.

“You don’t have to leave Ferdinand,” she said as he rose. “I’m sorry I’m not being better company.”

“It’s alright,” he assured her as he held her hand lightly. “I imagine your injury is causing you great discomfort. I’m just grateful to see you are up and moving around with my own eyes.”

“I’m glad you were able to visit. Once I’m recovered, I will to come see you. I still need to make up for the dinner I missed.”

Ferdinand gave her a gentle smile. Everything about the youth seemed gentle. “I would enjoy that, but please don’t rush your recovery.” 

He kissed her hand once, then moved towards the door of the study. “I’d hoped to talk with your father.”

“I know, I thought he would be back from his meeting with the other ranchers by now. Mister Rouge must have brought a new vintage.”

Ferdinand paused, a pained expression darkened his face. “No, they went to speak with the Regent. To ask to delay the executions.”

“What executions?” 

Ferdinand related the story, remarked it was very sad, then departed. The moment they heard the front door close, Isabellae was on her feet, although the sudden movement cost her dearly judging by the hiss of pain.

“Pate!” The servant appeared at the door. “Ready my mount.”

He hesitated. Her eyes narrowed. _**“Now.”**_

The young woman moved to the door, flexing fingers and stretching experimentally. Trying to see how quickly and freely she could move. Without even looking in her direction, the archaeologist called out.

“Are you certain that’s wise? They’ll be expecting you.”

She spoke casually, just making conversation. Isabellae froze and turned to her. Her eyes searched the historian’s face carefully before she responded. 

“Yes. I gave what you told me much thought. This is worth it. Even if your Mister Roronoa kills me, I have to try.”

She couldn’t entirely hide the shadow of fear in her eyes, but her voice was steady. Robin felt she could at least offer some good news. “For what it’s worth, Zoro told me he would not fight Le Renard.”

Isabellae was visibly surprised, and relieved. “That is surprisingly generous. Hardly what his reputation would suggest.”

“The truth about a person can be easily distorted. Something to remember.”

The outlaw smiled. “I’ll try. Miss Gespenst, I’m very glad to have met you. It sounds as though my father will be away for some time yet. Feel free to use the library in my absence.”

Then she was gone. Without realizing it, Robin found herself on her feet. She stopped short of the door. Whether she intended to knock the girl unconscious, or try to beat her to town, she wasn’t sure.

Even injured, Isabellae could handle this, Robin assured herself. 

Lieutenant Marcel’s men wouldn’t fight their hardest against her.

The false Marines would focus on protecting the Regent.

Most importantly, Zoro wouldn’t confront her. 

It would be all right. Robin needed to make the most of this opportunity while she had it.

* * *

Alexandre burst into the library sometime later. He looked more out of sorts than Robin had ever seen him. Hair in disarray, clothes and skin coated with dust where it stuck to the sweat that poured off him. 

“Miss Gespenst, where is my sister?!”

“I believe she has gone to prevent the executions.”

“You didn’t stop her?!”

“I am only a guest in the house. I hardly think I have authority to do so.” She finally lifted her eyes from the text to regard him. “She was adamant this was the course of action she wished to take.”

Alexandre continued on as if he hadn’t heard her, scanning the room as if he might find his sister hiding behind the curtains. “Where is my father?”

“Ferdinand mentioned Mister du Champ and his associates would try to dissuade the Regent. He may still be at it.”

The young man looked on the verge of a breakdown. “He was the only one who might be able to convince her to stop.”

“Perhaps he should support her, standing up for those who need it. Perhaps you should as well.”

“There are other ways!”

“Those don’t seem to have accomplished much,” Robin said coldly. “Your father has many meetings with the Regent, yet he and his personal guards continue to harass and imprison your neighbors. Your King is absent, your soldiers unable to act against orders.”

Alexandre snapped back, “What do you know?”

“I know how little your pretty words and well-intentioned letters are worth against people eager to abuse their power.”

Whatever he intended to say in response died in his throat. His mouth closed with an audible click as he spun and dashed out of the room.

* * *

The sun neared the horizon while Zoro watched the whole mess from a rooftop. This thing left a bad taste in his mouth. 

The gallows were finished. It looked like most of the people in town were there. Zoro never understood the desire some people had to watch an execution. Death wasn’t supposed to be entertainment. It was inevitable, and could be cruel and random, but it shouldn’t be used to pass the time.

The swordsman recognized some people in the crowd from that day in the canyon. So maybe they weren’t all there just to gawk. He didn’t see the secret Marines. He figured they’d carry out the executions, but apparently it was going to be Marcel’s job. Maybe the Regent was just being a dick to the lieutenant, but Zoro had a bad feeling. The longer it drug out, the more restless everyone grew, shifting back-and-forth on their feet as the air was nearly filled with a muddled overlay of whispers. The more they shifted, the more weapons he spotted being gripped nervously in the crowd.

Searching the nearby rooftops, he spied a familiar caped figure flitting across them. 

_‘Shit.’_

Le Renard tried to stay low, blend into the long shadows. It was much brighter out than when she normally appeared. She needed to remain unnoticed as long as possible, get as close as possible. The longer she could delay really having to strain her body, the better. A few more rooftops and she’d reach the plaza. 

She didn’t have a firm plan. She needed to rescue the prisoners, that much was obvious. She was also trying to steel herself to kill Regent Greenleaf. She’d taken lives before, bandits and pirates too stubborn to surrender. But odious, corrupt man or not, Greenleaf was still the King’s representative. Her bounty until recently was largely a matter of show, since it wasn’t confirmed she actually killed Captain Tesoro. Something assigned because that was what you did when you thought someone killed an officer of the King’s forces, and they wouldn't sit down and tell you if they did it or not.

(She hadn’t. Gravity and his overconfidence did.) 

No one had been all the interested in collecting. No one until Mister Roronoa, anyway. Perhaps not even him, if his partner could be believed. 

(She hoped she could be. Isabellae liked talking with the older woman, found her perspective and experience exciting. She hoped Raserei wouldn’t lie about something like that.)

But to kill the Regent in broad daylight, before all these witnesses, would make it a real thing. The King would demand she be brought to ground. And if she was captured, it wouldn’t just be her who suffered, but her father and brother as well. 

Even so. . .

“It’s a trap, you idiot.”

She whirled and found the Pirate Hunter standing on the next rooftop, arms folded across his chest, glaring down at her. Her heart raced as she drew her sword, on guard instantly, but she threw him a nonchalant smile.

“Of course it’s a trap, Mister Pirate Hunter. It’s _always_ a trap, and I _always_ escape.”

“Yeah, but this one is more of a trap than usual. The Regent’s guards are Marines in disguise.”

The outlaw paused to try and make sense of that. “Marines? Why?”

“Don’t know, but they had their uniforms and gear stored in a warehouse, and I don’t see them down there anywhere. The Regent never goes anywhere without at least a couple of them, right?”

She nodded. 

“So they gotta be up to something.”

By this point, Zoro stood on the same roof as her, squarely in her path. Behind him, they could hear the Regent announcing the crimes Alicia and the others were declared guilty of.

“It doesn’t matter. I will not let them die.”

She tried to rush past him, but a horizontal slash cut her off. She skidded to a stop and turned to charge, thrusting her sword with all her speed behind it. His feet skidded back towards the edge of the roof as he blocked, but Zoro pushed her away after a second. A few people noticed the sounds of clashing metal, but most were focused on the gallows as the first prisoner was marched towards them.

“Get out of my way!” Le Renard tried to dash right as a feint, then instantly reverse to slip past, but the bounty hunter read her intent and barred her way. Her body ached already, the wound in her stomach pulsing a steady warning beat, and she’d hardly begun.

“Would you just wait a minute?” Zoro pushed her back and spun, raising one sword. **“36 Pound Cannon!”**

The wind attack barreled down and obliterated the gallows. Lieutenant Marcel and Alicia, who had reached the first step, were blown backwards, the soldier trying to shield his prisoner from the splinters. The Regent, standing on the platform, was sent flying through the air and into the crowd. The people retreated, allowing him to crash to earth, face first.

Zoro turned back to the outlaw. “Happy? Now no one gets lynched.”

Le Renard saw the prisoners being herded back towards the garrison as a few soldiers moved to the Regent. They weren’t exactly hustling, she noticed. “They will simply try again tomorrow. You can’t keep destroying gallows forever. I have to stop the Regent.”

Again, she dashed forward, digging deep to go faster. Again, he barred her way, her attack not pushing him at all this time.

“I was told you swore you would not fight me.”

Zoro didn’t have to ask who told her that. He placed Kuina’s sword between his teeth and tied his bandana over his head. 

“I promised I wouldn’t kill you, or get you captured and executed. If I have to kick your ass to keep that from happening, she’ll understand.”

“If that is what your mind sees as a logical path, I understand why you need her to guide you.”

* * *

Robin was down to the last few books when she found a clue. It was in a book of the works of the poet Akira Taguchi. She had been scanning it in the dim hopes it might hold some vague reference when she saw it.

_‘Land of ivory waves,_

_Your kings conceal old secrets,_

_Secrets of ancients,’_

It wasn’t exactly the same, but far too close to what she and Zoro found in the catacombs to be mere coincidence. The title of the poem was _‘Alabasta’_.

A very old kingdom, their dunes known for the whiteness of their sand. It was back in the Grand Line, true, but it felt like a real lead. If there truly wasn’t anything in the East Blue, she at least knew her next step.

She looked through the remainder of the work for any other poems that might have similar hints. There was one that suggested a Sky Island, but that was all. That was fine, it was more than she had before. Another step on the path.

Hastily, she replaced the book, scanning the shelves for any similar works she’d missed. Part of her was ready to leave now, already thinking of the Grand Line, but she couldn’t afford to miss something out of impatience.

“Find anything useful, Miss Gespenst?”

Champ du Rene stood in the doorway, frowning severely. He was dressed rather casually, in loose-fitting clothes suggesting he was ready to turn in for the evening. His hands were in his pockets.

It appeared Isabellae and Alexandre never broached the subject of letting her use the library with their father. She smiled, which wasn’t difficult, given what she’d just found.

“Yes, you have some very interesting works here. I’m quite envious.”

The patriarch’s expression didn’t change as he stepped into the library, limping less than she recalled from previous meetings. Robin took a step back, already gauging exits, weapons, possible obstructions. Something about the man set off alarms in her head.

“I doubt that. I’m sure the collection in the Tree of Knowledge was vastly superior, wasn’t it, _**Nico Robin?**_ ”

Her heart stopped. She almost called on her powers to break the man in two on instinct, but hesitated. It could be a bluff. He might have friends nearby, waiting for her to break her cover. She pushed down her terror, acting confused instead.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

Rene’s eyes narrowed, harsh and piercing. “Let’s not play games. I’m well aware who you are and what you seek. I hoped my children respected my judgment enough to obey my wishes without having to explain myself. Apparently, a vain hope. _Soru._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Robin: Isabellae will be fine, because Zoro won't fight her.
> 
> Zoro: If I don't fight Isabellae, she won't be fine.
> 
> I think the poem Robin finds counts as a haiku. I got conflicting answers on how many syllables are in "secrets" from my dictionary and Google though, so maybe not.
> 
> Or perhaps in One Piece there is a popular form of poetry called "hai-koo", as popularized by Master Lu (apologies for a dated SeaLab 2021 reference), and the arrangement is different.


	25. Know How to Make an Entrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Zoro tries to keep Le Renard out of danger, Robin finds herself in a fight to survive long enough to pursue the lead she just found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the climax of the Papillion Island arc. Next chapter is tying up some ends and we'll find out where they're going next.

Robin was always aware of her surroundings. Entrances, exits, lines of sight, potential weapons or cover, anyone looking at her a bit too closely. Whenever she entered a room she began cataloging ways out and threats or obstacles. Having spent several days in Rene du Champ’s library, she had the layout memorized. Even as his words set off alarms in her mind, she was aware of the bookcase to her right, and preparing to dive left, towards the center of the room.

Her cautious nature, and instincts honed by years on the run, were the only reason she survived his initial assault.

His feet stomped the ground and he was gone. He reappeared in front of her, finger stabbing forward. His attack was intended to pierce her heart, but instead struck home in her right shoulder. Robin gasped at the impact, finding herself stuck as he drove her back towards the wall, where she’d be trapped. Desperately, she kicked out, and his body twisted effortlessly to one side, avoiding the attack. But it halted his momentum, and the shift in position pulled his finger back just a bit. Robin wrenched herself free. 

Ignoring the pain, Robin dove left, towards open space. Rene tried to swivel to track her, but his injured leg gave way. Stumbling, he caught himself with one hand and held his body parallel to the ground as he kicked his left leg.

_“Rankyaku!”_

Robin dove again, trying to get behind one of the sofas, but the wind blade slashed her right hip, and cut through the table behind her. Despite the pain, she was able to avoid a second, the follow-up, Rankyaku. 

Both fighters reached their feet at the same time. Rene went to use Soru again, but his right leg gave out entirely, and he pitched forward, off-balance. Robin tried to drive her knee into his chin. His entire body relaxed and drifted easily out of the way even as he fell. He landed on his back and stabbed at her again as Robin let her momentum carry her past him. His finger nicked the outside of one calf as she landed on a coffee table. Rene tried another Rankyaku, but Robin dodged entirely this time, finally getting enough breathing room to bring her powers to bear.

 **“Dos Fleur: Twist.”**

The twin arms grabbed Rene’s good leg at the knee and below the ankle, then twisted 360 degrees. To the man’s credit, his only show of discomfort as all his ligaments tore and she snapped the tibia was a grunt. Using a bookcase for support, he steadied himself on what had been his bad leg, but was now the not-as-bad-as-the-other leg.

He raised his free arm, finger extended. Robin didn’t bother to wait and see how he intended to reach her. Arms bloomed over his body. Immediately he stiffened and Robin found she couldn’t manipulate or damage any part of him. 

“ _Tekkai_. You won't break through it.”

Warily, she noted he was correct, but also that he wasn’t attacking. “And you can’t move while you use it. It’s a matter of which of us grows tired first.”

“You’re the one bleeding in three places.”

“And how long can you remain standing before going into shock?”

“Touche.”

“You’re Cipher Pol, aren’t you?” The man’s eyebrow twitched just slightly, but it was enough. Robin quelled the spike of fear that ran through her. She had a few memories from Ohara's destruction, although her attention had been elsewhere at the time. Since then, she only heard muttered rumors of their existence, and couldn't be sure how much was true, and how much was wild conjecture. But it was enough to make her want never to find out how accurate the stories were. 

“You respect authority too much for a former pirate. If you were a Marine with this kind of power, you wouldn’t hide it. What is an agent of the World Government doing with so many books that are no longer supposed to exist?”

Rene scoffed. “Those fools, so scared of what someone else might do with knowledge. They fail to see what _they_ could do with it. Eventually, someone wiser will be in charge, and then this repository will be appreciated.”

Robin shook her head, amazed someone who carried out so many horrible deeds for the World Government could fail to understand them. “If that was the case, they would have simply taken control of the Tree of Knowledge, rather than burning it. They already control the world. They don’t need more power. They are more concerned that no one else have any. You know this on some level, or you wouldn’t hide.” 

She examined him carefully. “Your children don’t know, do they? What you are? Even as you taught them your killing skills?”

It was rather impressive a man barely standing, who knew he would die if his concentration flagged even a little, could look so haughty. “I wanted them able to defend what’s theirs when needed. Not that they’ve done that. Alexandre barely even tried, too interested in music and wooing girls, and Isabellae –“

“Is trying to prevent a full-scale revolt. I’m surprised you aren’t trying to stop her. The World Government will probably order the Marines to take over if the Regent can make the King look incompetent enough, or the people unruly enough. Is that what you want?”

Rene gawked at her. “What are you talking about? The Regent’s a bloviating fool, but he doesn’t have the power for that.”

“All his personal guards are Marines, and they are the ones stirring up resentment among the people on his behalf, not Lieutenant Marcel.”

Robin felt the old man’s body soften as he sagged, something internal falling apart. She didn’t ease her hold, but still waited. Rene looked completely lost.

“That can’t be – I didn’t know about this. I’m not in Cipher Pol any longer.”

“You’re retired?” Robin doubted that. From the rumors, she was not certain Cipher Pol agents _could_ retire. They knew too many dirty secrets. They either died on a mission, or were killed once deemed a liability.

“Officially, I’m dead.” Rene stared at the ground, his mind elsewhere. “Marines? In her condition, they might actually kill her. And where’s Alexandre?”

“I believe he went to try and help Isabellae. However little you might think of him, he cares for his sister.”

Rene’s head snapped up to look at her, all grim resignation. A man who made peace with his fate. “Hurry up and do it. I know who and what you are. You’re going to kill me. So do it.”

Robin considered it. She didn’t particularly enjoy playing into the image the World Government put forth of her, but injured or no, Rene was clearly dangerous. But once he was found dead, suspicion would fall on her, especially if she and Zoro departed swiftly (which they would). And if, _if_ , he was telling the truth about having faked his death, he would not want to risk drawing attention to himself by outing her to the Marines.

“I have a question.” Rene scowled, but remained silent. “A researcher came to the East Blue via a commercial vessel four years ago, but was picked up at Tahani Island by a Marine vessel. No Marine base I’ve investigated shows any trace of him.”

“I’ve been out of service for almost two decades. What makes you think I would know?” He grimaced as her hands twisted the limbs in their grasp just slightly.

“I would imagine you knew about any classified locations in these seas. The better to stay clear of them. Or you know where the information might be. I have nothing to lose by asking, since I’m no worse off if you don’t know and I kill you.”

“Meaning if I help you, you’d spare my life?”

Robin shrugged, and Rene winced as the arms confining him mirrored the move, jostling his injured legs. She wouldn’t promise that. He weighed the options.

“I may have information, but I want something in return. Save my children. If you do that, I’ll tell you.”

“I should take your word?”

For just a moment, the man looked immeasurably tired. “You don’t have a choice. I may no longer be strong enough to defeat you, but torture won’t get you anywhere other than shining a spotlight on yourself. If I break my word, I have no doubt you’ll be back to take revenge.”

Robin weighed the offer. She really would prefer Isabellae and Alexandre not die, and that this island not burn for Regent or the Marines' greed. And the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to get back to town. Zoro said he wouldn’t fight Le Renard, but somehow she was certain he was mixed up in things all the same.

* * *

Zoro and Le Renard grew increasingly frustrated with each other. Zoro, because Le Renard wouldn’t just go so he could keep his promise to Raserei. Le Renard, because Zoro wouldn’t get out of her way and let her kill Regent Greenleaf, and she just had to pick a route that ended on one of the narrowest buildings in the city, limiting her ability to go around him. 

(Also, after just two fights, he was doing a disconcertingly good job anticipating her movements. Even if she was slower than normal, that wasn’t something she was accustomed to.)

When she tried to run for another roof, Zoro cut her off with another 36 Pound Cannon, driving her back.

“Stop destroying these peoples’ homes!” 

“Then stop being an idiot and go home!”

Zoro stood at the edge of the roof overlooking the plaza. At this point, she had to go through him. Most of the people left as their battle raged, but the Regent hadn’t. Instead, he kept yelling at Lieutenant Marcel to open fire.

“But Regent, the guards have no clear shot at Le Renard! They would hit Mister Roronoa instead!”

“You useless idiot! Send your men around to the other sides of the building!”

“That would leave you and the prisoners unguarded, sir! Perhaps if your personal guard was here?”

The Regent’s braying voice scraped against Le Renard’s ears. (It wasn’t doing much for Zoro’s disposition, either.) She didn’t want to use Geppo, too exhausting at this point. She would have to defeat the Pirate Hunter, and quickly.

Zoro tensed as Le Renard settled into a new stance. Her knees bent more than usual, right leg back like she might charge, blade held parallel to the ground. 

**“One Thousand Hornets!”**

She began to stab her rapier forward again and again, at blinding speed, without moving from where she stood. The air between them wobbled, like heat rising from the ground. Something stabbed Zoro in the chest, something he couldn’t see. Another struck him, then another. He swung one sword in front of him and it struck _something_. 

She was shooting at him. Instead of a wind blade, a wind bullet. Maybe just a wind dart. He swung his swords rapidly. The wobbling was the air being driven towards him, so at least he knew what to look for, but there were a **lot** of them. Even using Wado to block those it could, he couldn’t deflect them all. Dark patches bloomed on his arms, legs and chest. One cut formed above his right eye, and he could feel the blood threatening to obscure his vision.

The attack ceased. Le Renard lowered her sword, panting, arm aching from the effort. To her frustration, Zoro was still standing, for all he was bleeding in several places. He was breathing almost as heavily as her, so this was her chance.

She used the best Soru she could manage, aiming to go right past him. Zoro thought his eyes had adjusted to her speed, but she vanished. No matter. He knew where she was headed.

**“Dragon Twister!”**

Just as Le Renard reached the edge of the roof, Zoro spun, blades swirling, trying to throw her back. The swords slashed at her and knocked her off-course, but she was just fast enough her momentum carried her by, sending her tumbling out of control into the plaza.

“Damn it,” Zoro muttered. He’d thrown her precisely where he didn’t want her. A cracking noise alerted him to other problems. The building, badly weakened by the fighting, collapsed beneath him. He pitched awkwardly over the edge, landing harshly on his back as the roof fell in on him.

Le Renard rose unsteadily. She saw Zoro get buried. Part of her thought to rush to his aid, but she pushed it aside. The Regent was _right_ there, screaming and gesturing at her.

“Arrest her, Lieutenant! She is a dangerous criminal!”

The prisoners, who still hadn’t been returned to their cells, began to shout, either at Marcel to leave her be, or at her to flee. She ignored them all, trying to ready herself, mentally and physically, to end the Regent with one final rush. She reminded herself that even if he wasn’t armed, he controlled many who were. It wasn’t so different from a pirate holding a sword to someone’s throat, was it? There was no turning back.

 _“Soru.”_ It was a whisper, as she disappeared from the view of those around her. Greenleaf and the soldiers’ reactions appeared in slow-motion as she drew closer. She saw Zoro push clear of the debris and lunge, raising two swords over his head.

**“Tiger Trap: Earth Shock!”**

His blades struck the ground as she darted right, the impact unleashing a shockwave of rock and dirt that slammed into her like a maddened elephant. She flew, landing hard on her right shoulder, rolling across the dusty plaza. She managed to end in a crouch, but found a sword under her nose.

Her eyes traveled up the length of the blade to find the Pirate Hunter before her. His breathing ragged, clothes and face stained with blood. Though his expression was angrier than the last time, his eyes held the same calm as in their previous battle. Le Renard had to suppress the shudder of fear that went through her at the memory of how that ended.

“Go the fuck home before you get yourself killed,” he snarled.

“I can’t,” she spat out, even as she tried to spy her sword.

Zoro grit his teeth as he wondered exactly how badly he could wound her without killing her. Would Raserei be mad if he cut off Isabellae’s arm? That would be kind of hard to hide, though. Give away her secret. That was no good.

“What are you waiting for?” the Regent screeched, and Zoro considered just killing the guy himself. That would solve one problem, at least.

“Leave her alone!”

Someone else dressed as Le Renard came riding in on an ostrich. Not the same bird this lady used, though. Plus, the newcomer was clearly a guy. Her brother, then.

The man bore down on Zoro and attempted a clumsy swing with a sword. Without moving the one he held on Le Renard, Zoro easily dodged the attack and struck the guy in the stomach with the flat of his other blade. The ostrich kept running and the man fell off into the dirt with a thud.

“What are you doing, stupid?” Le Renard hissed at her would-be rescuer.

“I wasn’t going to just let you die!”

“And this is helping?!”

Everyone’s attention was diverted from the sibling argument by the return of most of the townspeople, who had been ordered away as their battle intensified. Now all of them were brandishing some sort of weapon, mostly farm implements. Lieutenant Marcel stepped forward, hands held out in front of him.

“Everyone, please, return to your homes! This will not help anything!”

“Lieutenant, do your duty and arrest all of them! They are taking up arms against the government!”

The crowd shouted back angrily. The soldiers’ eyes darted between the Regent, the lieutenant, and the crowd. Zoro sighed wearily and decided to make it an easier choice. After all, this might, sort of, maybe, be his fault. No one ever believed him about the moving buildings. Who knew they'd listen to him about standing up for themselves?

He turned his swords away from the du Champ siblings and stepped between the crowd and the soldiers.

“You don’t get them unless you go through me, first.”

Even with his obvious injuries as he stood there, blood-soaked and covered in dust, the soldiers were ready to call it a day right then. The crowd fell silent in shock. The Regent did a good impression of someone outraged, but he couldn’t hide his gleeful smirk. 

“You aid these criminals? You can die with them, then.” He raised one arm and then dropped it. “Shoot them all down!”

No one fired. Lieutenant Marcel shrugged awkwardly. “My apologies, but most of my men are not carrying firearms today. The ones that are guard the prisoners.”

The Regent ignored him, raising his arm again, and screaming, “I said FIRE!”

“I would recommend you rethink that order, Regent.”

Zoro and everyone else turned to the voice. His partner stood on a rooftop, rifle resting casually against her hip. She surveyed the scene with a confident smile. Her voice carried across the plaza.

“Your personal guard had a change of heart. They will not be opening fire on civilians to cause further unrest to your advantage. After all,” she continued, tone growing cold, “such actions would be unbecoming of Marines.”

The people murmured among themselves. Several gripped their weapons more tightly as they moved in. Lieutenant Marcel and his men were stunned. The Regent was speechless, for a moment. Then his sneer returned, and he shouted back. “I don’t know what you are talking about, but you can’t expect anyone to take the word of a bounty hunter’s. . . _consort._ ”

Something about the way he said the last word made Zoro want to kill him, but before he could, a single shot rang out from a window in the building she stood on. It struck the ground just beyond the end of the Regent’s foot. The man squeaked in terror and sprang back. As one, rifle barrels emerged from windows all through the building.

(Of course, the Marines inside those buildings were all unconscious, easily subdued by Robin’s power minutes earlier before they even realized what was happening. It was her hands, blooming from the Marines’ bodies, that held the weapons, and her eyes, blooming from their heads, that sighted in.)

Before anyone else could do anything, Lieutenant Marcel shouted, “Men, throw down your weapons! All of you! That is an order!” 

The soldiers immediately complied. The Regent was outraged. “What are you saying, Lieutenant, this is – oof!” 

He was cut off as Marcel’s beefy elbow connected with his face, knocking him to the ground, under the pretense of trying to shield him. The soldier appeared not to notice.

“Do not worry, Regent Greenleaf! We would never risk endangering your health! Since we have laid down our weapons, there will not be any more shooting, and you will not risk being killed in a crossfire!”

The Regent sputtered impotently as the soldiers released their prisoners with many apologies. Zoro turned to the two Le Renards.

“Now will you get the fuck out of here?”

Alexandre helped his sister to her feet. “Yes, we will take our leave. Thank you.” A moment later, both were gone. Alexandre wasn’t as fast as his sister, but the two bounty hunters were probably the only ones who saw which way they went.

“Finally. Protecting people is harder than fighting them.” With that, Zoro sheathed his swords, and sat down before sprawling out in the street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know whether Rene was sent on a mission where it was planned they'd betray him and try to kill him, and he managed to make them think they succeeded, or if a mission went wrong, he was believed dead, and realized as badly injured as he was, they'd kill him if he returned. Either way, I just figure Cipher Pol is not a job where you get a happy retirement. They use you up and spit you out the moment you start to slip.
> 
> It's not specified, but Rene (which is definitely an alias) was CP9 when he was active. So he knows the Six Powers, even if his ability to use some of them is limited by his leg injury (Geppo might be entirely out of the question). In his prime, I figure he's probably not at Jabra's level, but maybe equal to Fukurou or Kalifa. 
> 
> Isabellae's only about halfway through learning the Rokushiki. Doesn't have Tekkai or Rankyaku at all, and is just figuring out Geppo. But she's an ace at Shigan, since she's figured out how to do the projectile version with her sword, as a multi-strike attack, no less. Alexandre's not much past Soru.


	26. The Next Step on the Path

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro talk as they patch each other up after their battles. 
> 
> And before they can leave Papillion Island, they'll have to learn if Rene will keep his word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've reached the end of the Papillion Island Arc. It went two chapters longer than I originally planned, but the only things I was sure of when I started were "have Zoro fight Zorro", and "Robin finds a couple of leads". So there was a lot of wiggle room.
> 
> Also, chronology update. I'm assuming East Blue seasons are on the same schedule as our Northern Hemisphere (so June-August are summer, rather than winter). So I have this arc taking place in early-mid September, and we're about two months shy of Zoro turning 19, and Robin's about 6 months away from turning 28.

Robin made her way gingerly to the street, Lieutenant Marcel’s men stepping aside on the stairs with murmured thanks as they streamed into the building to capture the Marines, who had been so kind as to throw all their weapons out the window a moment ago. 

(The King’s soldiers were quite confused to find all the Marines unconscious, but it meant they wouldn’t resist, so there wasn’t too much complaining.)

The Lieutenant and a few of his men were still “protecting” the Regent from the unhappy crowd of townspeople. Meaning they were dragging him to the cells for the time being. It was going to be quite a tight squeeze with all these new prisoners to take the place of the old ones, she reflected.

Robin approached Zoro, still on his back in the middle of the street, grumbling. “Are you alright, Zoro?”

He titled his head back to watch her approach. He threw her a lazy grin. “Just fine. That was a hell of an entrance, Raserei. I thought you tried not to attract attention.”

She laughed. “Sometimes that is not the best approach. Fortunately, I had you, Johnny, and Yosaku to teach me about being loud.”

Her laughter died out as she saw the wounds all over his body. He was wearing the new blue shirt he’d bought, too, she reflected. Hopefully it could be salvaged. Robin recognized the moment he saw _her_ injuries, the long red stain down one leg of her dress, the red starburst soaked through her shoulder. He immediately forced himself to his feet and rushed over.

“Are you OK? What happened?” His hands rested lightly on her arms as his eyes searched for any other wounds.

“They’re minor injuries, Zoro, nothing to be concerned about.”

“Minor?!” he snapped. “It looks like you got cut and stabbed. We need to get back to the ship and patch you up.”

“I could say the same of you, Mister Swordsman.”

He had the grace to look chastened, if only for a moment. “You shouldn’t put too much weight on that injured leg. Lean on me.” 

Zoro looked prepared to be stubborn, and Robin didn’t feel like arguing. Her adrenaline from the fight was wearing off, and the pain was becoming more noticeable. It had been years since she was injured this badly. The hasty, jarring ride into town hadn’t done her wounds any good, either. 

He took hold of her uninjured arm, gently positioned it over his shoulder. She tensed on reflex at the contact, but after a moment, sank into his solid body gratefully. Up close, she could see how the blood from a cut over his eye had made a track through the dust coating his face. It followed the planes of his cheek and jaw like a warrior’s ceremonial paint, and looked remarkably natural on the swordsman.

“Miss Gespenst, Mister Roronoa, wait!” Marcel rushed after them. “If you would like, one of the town physicians could treat your injuries?”

The bounty hunters shared a look, shaking their heads in unison. Zoro got easily annoyed with most doctors, who he found far too cautious in their estimates on recovery times. Robin didn’t like having people she didn’t know touching her, especially not when she was wounded.

“That’s not necessary, Lieutenant,” she assured him. “You have much to deal with here. I’m quite used to treating Zoro’s wounds.”

With that, the pair made their way slowly towards the docks.

* * *

Robin sat nervously on her bed in _Pipit’s_ cabin. She’d insisted on being treated here, uncomfortable with being so vulnerable out on deck. The angry crowd, even if they weren’t angry at her, the Marines, the close call with a member of Cipher Pol. Robin felt keyed up, on edge and unwilling to take chances. 

Zoro waited outside while she tore the material enough to expose the slash on her leg. It was too bad, she rather liked the dress. Light, colorful, easy to move in. Maybe she could salvage it somehow? Something to consider later. She placed towels on either side of the wound, to catch blood, and to feel less exposed. She couldn't make her hands stop fidgeting, and considered just stitching herself up. She'd done it before.

She tried to pinpoint why she felt so uneasy. She didn’t fear Zoro. He helped her patch up Johnny and Yosaku in the past, she could walk him through stitching her wounds.

True, it was rare for _her_ to be wounded since they’d begun working together. The only other time had been when they captured Storm Jolene, and that wound had been from Zoro. But she didn’t have any reason to think he would decide she was weak or useless and get rid of her because of this. What was troubling her?

The swordsman’s gentle rumble calling to her from the deck answered her question. “Are you ready, Raserei?”

She responded affirmatively as things fell into place. Continuing to lie to him was wearing on her. She trusted and even liked Zoro, but only so far. She still hid so much from him. He knew this, and seemed to accept it more readily since she had shown enough trust to tell him her dream, but it didn’t feel right. It was fine being “Gespenst Raserei” to people she barely knew or cared about. But when Isabellae thanked her for advice, or Zoro expressed concern for her wellbeing, she wanted them to call her by her true name.

But would they actually care for Nico Robin? She had been reminded forcibly tonight how most people felt about the Devil’s Child. A notorious woman who worked for so many criminals and pirates, people far worse than those she’d helped Zoro capture. Nico Robin, who took so many lives? She could insist Raserei reflected who she really was, but part of her countered it was just an act. Could anyone actually like the real her?

Could she make herself take the chance to find out?

She was pulled from the dark swirl of her thoughts by a finger tapping lightly on her nose. Startled, she found Zoro seated next to her, concern softening his eyes.

“There you are. Thought you got lost in your own mind.”

“Perhaps I’m spending too much time around you, Zoro,” she teased, trying to cover how unsteady she felt. 

He frowned. “Maybe so. You’re starting to get torn up like me. You want something for the pain?” 

She shook her head, knowing the only option would be whatever alcohol they had on board. (The painkillers available in the island’s drugstores were either not up to this kind of injury, or highly addictive.) She would need a clear head to treat his wounds. He nodded, taking her at her word. “I’ll be slower at this than you are.”

She watched him as he worked. He was right, he wasn’t as deft with the thread as she was. But his hands were steady, and he was careful and methodical. It reminded her of how he maintained his swords. It was perhaps silly to compare oneself to a sword and feel good about it, but Robin knew how important they were to him. The care and attention he put into sharpening and cleaning each of them. That he treated her with at least as much concern made her stomach flutter strangely, but not unpleasantly.

She noticed him muttering. “Is something the matter?”

Zoro didn’t look up, but his shoulders rose, then fell as he released a long breath. “Just pissed with that asshole. That “consort” shit. What’s that, anyway? He made it sound like you were something dirty.”

Robin had almost forgotten that. It was barely noteworthy to her. “He wished to discredit my claims by portraying me as simply your sexual conquest.”

Zoro growled. “Everybody in this town has been saying that crap. Assholes.”

“Do you find the notion so distasteful?”

His head shot up, wide eyes staring at her in shock. “What?! No! That’s not, aren’t you pissed?”

Robin shrugged the uninjured shoulder. “Their opinions shouldn’t matter, should they? Haven’t you said you don’t care if people think you’re a demon, so long as you are true to your principles, and recognized as the greatest swordsman eventually?”

“Yeah, but they’ll still recognize me as a swordsman. They aren’t giving you any credit. We’re partners. We catch these bounties together. Them acting like you’re just here for me to fuck, it’s disrespectful.”

“But my being underestimated works in our favor. It helps me gather information if no one suspects I’m actually working with you. Storm Jolene is the only one we’ve pursued who even recognized I might be your partner.”

More softly she continued, “And as I told Alexandre, I’ve heard worse. I would hardly consider being thought your lover disgraceful.”

Zoro ducked his head, coughing awkwardly, saying nothing. Not wanting to distract him while he was stitching her up, she let the topic drop. 

* * *

As he was almost finished with the slash on her leg, she commented, “You’re doing very well, Mister Roronoa.”

“Had lots of chances to watch you patch me up,” he responded without taking his eyes off his work. She could feel the rough calluses on his fingers when they occasionally brushed against her leg.

“What did you do when injured before we started working together?”

“Johnny and Yosaku knew a few things, but they always freaked when anyone was hurt bad.”

“That's true, although I recall they believed a person was instantly healed once the treatment was over.” 

She giggled, trying to avoid moving too much as she remembered the times their former partners would immediately leap to their feet and dance once she’d bandaged their injuries.

Zoro laughed once, the warm puff of breath just noticeable on her skin.

“But what about before you worked with them?” She probed, “You were bounty hunting for some time prior.”

Zoro lifted his head, eyes drifting to the low ceiling as he pondered the question. “I went to a doctor once,” he admitted. “It took up a lot of bounty money, so I stopped doing that. Plus, it was hard to find them. I’d just wait for the bleeding to stop and go on my way.”

She wasn’t surprised.

“What about you?”

“Pardon?”

Zoro repeated the question. “Who taught you, if you were on your own a lot?”

“I read a few things on first aid when I was a child, but I mostly learned by necessity as I traveled. It was for the best, since I was often alone in isolated, uninhabited locations. When I wasn’t, the people around me weren’t the most trustworthy, or hygienic.”

He frowned at her admission, and she felt a tang of guilt. What she’d told him was all true, an attempt to be honest. But that dark part of her insisted she only told him to inspire sympathy, to tie his loyalty to her more tightly. She wished her mind would stop doing that, stop imparting selfish motives to her every action, but the voice wasn’t cooperative.

They lapsed back into silence. Zoro finished stitching the wound, and gently wrapped a bandage around the leg. Then he started on the puncture in her shoulder.

“So, who did this to you?”

Robin didn’t see any reason to lie. The swordsman raised an eyebrow. “The old man? Wait, was he faking that limp?”

She shook her head. “I believe the injury is genuine, fortunately for me. I’m not certain I could have won if he’d been at full strength.”

Zoro let out a low whistle. “He’s that strong? I guess that’s where Isabellae gets it.”

“Yes, he was part of Cipher Pol years ago.”

“What the hell is that? Some criminal organization?”

Robin chuckled bitterly, making Zoro frown again. “They wouldn’t say so. They’re a top-secret espionage branch of the World Government. They carry out missions no one is meant to know about. It’s an almost certain death sentence to find yourself against them Zoro, so keep what I’ve told you to yourself.”

She could see questions in his eyes, as well as his stubborn will. That instinctual refusal of his to back down before any threat. But he nodded and kept silent. Respecting her judgement, which made her both grateful to him, and ill at everything she kept hidden.

* * *

Once Zoro finished, they switched so Robin could treat the numerous wounds he’d received. Her fingers drifted over the small punctures marking his torso. The swordsman watched her with drowsy eyes.

“It’s fortunate none of these are very deep.”

“I think she was too far away. Closer, they’d hit harder. Harder to block, too, less time to react.”

Robin let her hands drift a little lower, felt him tense. “And either you made certain to protect your groin, or she chose not to target it. It would be rather unpleasant if you could no longer urinate properly.”

Robin was sure most of Zoro’s body turned red at that comment, and he sputtered in an adorably awkward way, unable to find a good comeback.

Finally, he spoke again, voice serious. “I know I promised not to fight her. . .”

She cut him off with a wave. “It’s alright, Zoro. You were trying to keep her out of a trap, correct? Making certain she wasn’t captured.”

He nodded, sank back against the wall, relieved. “She was really determined to go down there. Maybe you’re the one who has a future giving pep talks.”

She smiled. “Isabellae’s already a strong young woman. I merely encouraged her to think about what her goals were, and her reasons. Young people don’t always have that clear in their minds. I’m sure you remember that from when you were her age.”

Zoro frowned. “I’m not that much older than her, and I’ve known my dream for years. Didn’t you know what you were after at her age, too?”

Robin admitted he was right, but wondered how old he thought Isabellae was. She was clearly in her teens. Perhaps he simply didn't want to think of himself as older. “Perhaps the two of us are just odd, Mister Swordsman.”

He grinned. “Nothing wrong with that, right?”

She found it easy to meet his grin with one of her own.

* * *

The town of Magnifique quieted down by the next morning, although there was still more activity on the streets than normal. But nothing was being burned, other than the breakfasts served at the inn. People chatted excitedly about everything from the night before, rushing from one crowd to another to either spread the latest news (and rumors), or to hear them.

The Regent confessed his plan to push the people to the point they could be labeled enemies of the kingdom. To have their possessions and land taken. If the people could be pushed to open revolt and the Regent quelled it, so much the better. He could petition the World Government to have the King deposed and himself installed as permanent ruler. At which point he could loot with impunity.

Or that was what the Marines’ commander, a Captain Nezumi, had assured him could happen. Malbeck – actually a Marine sergeant named Takasugi – and the other Marines admitted Nezumi told them to make sure Greenleaf didn’t survive the revolt if it did occur.

Apparently, the former Regent’s shock at this _‘despicable betrayal’_ was quite entertaining. 

Robin picked all this up as she and Zoro ran final errands, listening in on nearby conversations as they made their way through town. She noticed the two of them were the source of much more positive gossip as well.

“Everyone seems pretty upbeat,” the swordsman remarked, rubbing his shoulders after towing the small wagon they borrowed from the general store behind him. 

(The shopkeeper offered some ostriches to pull it, but Zoro had brushed him off and settled the yoke on his own shoulders instead.)

“Yes, I believe they expect things to be much more peaceful around here with the Regent and his guard locked up. For their own good, of course.”

The Regent had not been sending regular reports to King Sommeil as he was supposed to. He also had not been caring properly for the special Transponder Snail he was meant to be using. Once it had been properly fed and watered, the King was apprised of the situation by Lieutenant Marcel and several citizens. He made plans to return immediately, with a special Marine officer for escort. The Regent and the covert Marines were to be held until their arrival.

“I believe many of the people are referring to the pair of us as heroes, Zoro.”

The green-haired man scowled and blew a raspberry. “Pfft. You, maybe. You took out an entire group of Marines bent on shooting them to start a riot or something.”

“And you stood between the townspeople and those Marines, whether you knew it or not.”

“There’s no reason to be picking on weak people,” he responded. “Fight someone who can actually fight back.”

Robin couldn’t hide her amusement. “That certainly sounds like something a hero would say. Perhaps the King will give you a medal for your bravery.”

Zoro’s scowl deepened. “He better fucking not,” the bounty hunter snarled. “Have you got the information you need so we can get the fuck off this rock?”

Robin didn’t mind his impatience. She didn’t want to receive any awards or further attention, either. She certainly didn’t want to be here when the King and his high-ranking Marine escort arrived. Although high-ranking for the East Blue might just mean a Captain.

“I’m finished with the library, yes. I’m hoping to receive some additional information from Champ du Rene, assuming he keeps his promise.”

“How likely is that, if he used to be part of that, _group_ , you mentioned?”

“I don’t know. Honestly, it was a risk to let him live in the first place, but he shouldn’t be able to escape in his condition.”

“We’ll probably have to go through his kids to get at him now.”

Robin nodded, lips pressed into a thin line. She worked so hard all these years to maintain a cover. Had she ruined that, simply for not wanting to kill the parent of some people she’d barely known a week?

She would confront that problem when she had to, she decided. Pushed the thought away as they passed the shopfront of Les Cygnes.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like to stay, Zoro? You could take a brief break from your prohibition for a celebration, surely?” 

Her voice took on a thoughtful tone, which put Zoro on edge. “We would have to get you a suit, though, if you were to meet a king. Perhaps that one?”

The swordsman looked to where she pointed and his eyes widened in horror. The suit had ruffles _everywhere_. On the cuffs, on the collar, running down the middle where there should have been buttons or zippers or something. The pocket lining was even ruffled.

And the color. . . “What the fuck color is that?”

Robin placed one finger to her lips as though the suit was some ancient temple worthy of intense study. “Pale rose I believe. It would certainly contrast well with your tan.”

Robin was so caught up in laughing, she didn’t notice the sly look that crossed Zoro’s face. So she wasn’t ready when he suddenly threw her over his shoulder and started running.

“What are you doing, Zoro?!”

“Getting the hell off this island! It’s driven you nuts!”

“Fufufu, that’s fine, but you’re going the wrong way.”

“OK,” he agreed without slowing down, “direct me.”

“Turn right.” A pause, and then, “Fufufu, that was left.”

The townspeople looked on in confusion as the swordsman ran back-and-forth through the streets seemingly at random, all the while his partner laughed harder and harder.

* * *

Eventually, when she feared she might lose consciousness from laughing, Robin convinced Zoro to set her down and lead the way to _Pipit_. When they reached it, they found two familiar people waiting for them. Isabellae waved when she spied them, although she had to stop immediately to cradle her wrist. Alexandre took over for her.

“Miss Gespenst, Mister Roronoa,” he greeted. “I hear you have been stocking up. Are you leaving already?”

“Sadly, yes,” Robin answered. “Since we did not capture Le Renard, and she does so well controlling the criminal element here, we were unable to make any money. We need to move on.”

“You could not stay just a little longer, Raserei?” the young man asked hopefully. Apparently, his attitude towards her had improved again. “I believe there will be a large celebration in honor of our king’s return. We hold wonderful festivals here. I would love to escort you to one.”

Isabellae nudged her brother forcefully. “You will be too busy chaperoning Ferdinand and myself to entertain anyone else, Andre.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “Let Ferdinand’s mother handle that!”

“I told you I am not being left alone with that woman!”

Robin could hear Zoro’s teeth grinding, and stepped in before his patience frayed entirely. 

(Also, she didn’t think the celebration would go as the siblings expected. More than a few people in town were deeply unhappy with their King, since he appointed Greenleaf as Regent. She heard a few murmurs of doing away with the monarchy. Robin didn’t want to be in the middle of that.)

“It sounds wonderful, but I really don’t believe we can stay. I don’t suppose your father has come with you?”

The siblings exchanged a look, and Isabellae answered. “Father wasn’t in any condition to leave the house.” The young woman cast her eyes around to confirm there was no one listening. “I wish to apologize for his behavior. I had no idea he would react so strongly to our letting you use the library. He did not harm you, did he?”

 _‘It doesn’t sound like Rene told them my true identity, at least.’_ “Not too badly, though as I told Zoro, if he had been in his prime, I would have been in quite a lot of trouble.”

Alexandre and Isabellae both looked dismayed. “Then I’m glad that wasn’t the case. Although judging by his condition, you handled yourself well. Surprisingly well,” she murmured thoughtfully. “I find Father to be a severe challenge, in spite of his limp. I would say you and Mister Roronoa might switch duties in your partnership, but having seen his sense of direction, I doubt you would ever find any bounties.”

“I found Le Renard well enough last night to kick her ass,” the swordsman shot back hotly. _**“Again.”**_

Isabellae’s eyes flashed angrily as she leaned forward. “I don’t think it was as lopsided a battle as you are claiming, Mister Pirate Hunter. Le Renard was not the one who had a building fall on her.”

Zoro grinned smugly, challenge clear in his words. “Yeah, but it was _my_ attack that knocked the building down.”

Robin giggled. “Zoro, are you bragging about dropping a building on yourself?”

His jaw hung slack as he realized what he’d said. “It was only a little bit of the roof that fell on me!” 

Then he grudgingly admitted, “Le Renard did a lot better than the time before. She put her all into those attacks. You get a chance, tell her to gauge the distance better on that Thousand Horseflies move. She was too far away for it to do as much damage as it probably could.”

Isabellae absorbed this information quietly, then bowed slightly. “It’s Thousand _Hornets_ , but I’m certain she appreciates the information, and that you shielded her and her idiot sidekick.” 

She threw a sharp glance at her brother, who suddenly found the reflection in his well-polished boots very interesting.

“Well, if Le Renard ever decides to set out to sea, maybe we’ll get to fight again. See how much both of us improve.”

The young woman smiled. “I imagine she would find that great fun.” She turned to Robin. “Miss Gespenst, I want to thank you for your advice. It was a tremendous help in clearing up doubts I had. I hope you were able to find something in Father’s library.”

“I did actually. It will not be easy to utilize, but it’s a lead I’m grateful to have.”

Isabellae stepped forward and embraced Robin briefly. It surprised Robin, but she resisted the urge to flinch or tense and returned the hug. Carefully, not wanting to aggravate any of Isabellae’s injuries (or her own). As the young woman stepped back, she slid an envelope into Robin’s hand. Robin opened it and read over it once, quickly, then closed it again. Isabellae shook Zoro’s hand firmly.

“Andre and I will not delay you any further. Safe travels to you both.”

Alexandre shook Zoro’s hand carefully, as if worried he wouldn’t get his hand back, then pressed a kiss lightly to Robin’s. The bounty hunters stepped onto their ship and began preparations to make sail.

“Thank you for protecting my sister,” Alexandre said to Zoro, before turning to Robin. “And for sparing our father. He seemed very surprised you did that, although he didn’t say why.”

Robin searched the faces of both siblings for any traces of deception or warning. She saw none. Champ du Rene kept her secret.

“I told Isabellae the truth about a person can become twisted by others. You might mention that to him.”

With that, Robin and Zoro sailed away from the docks, as the siblings waved.

* * *

Once Papillion Island fell below the horizon, Zoro turned to her. “Well, what does it say? Did the old man keep his word, or do we need to swing back and kick his ass?”

“He’s badly crippled right now, Mister Swordsman. What happened to not picking on weak people?”

“I was talking about picking on people who hadn’t done anything wrong. If he made a deal with you and broke it, then he’s got it coming.”

She laughed, even as she appreciated how cleanly Zoro had his principles laid out. “It won’t be necessary. He provided us with a location where we might find information on the secret Marine base.”

She glanced again at the letter, where Champ du Rene’s neat, barely slanted cursive offered her another clue.

_‘I know nothing of any secret Marine research in the East Blue. However, a single agent is traditionally hidden among the regular Marine ranks in each of the Blues to gather all classified information for secure transmission to Ennies Lobby. In the East Blue, they’re stationed at the headquarters of the 153rd Branch. If the information you seek exists in this sea, it’s there.’_

Robin folded the paper again, then carefully burned it to ash.

“We’re headed to Shells Town.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's right, in addition to his many other crimes, Regent Greenleaf is an animal abuser. That poor Transponder Snail. In case you were on the fence about whether he was really a bad guy or not. 
> 
> I'm probably projecting onto Robin a bit. Does anyone else have that thing where you try to do something nice or polite, and part of your brain insists you're doing it for selfish reasons? No? Just me? OK, but I do think, having spent so much time lying and manipulating to stay alive, she'd always worry she was defaulting to that, even when she isn't.
> 
> You might notice nothing ever happened with the fortresses out on the points. Initially because I couldn't come up with a way to work them into the Marines' plot, but eventually I thought it'd work to show how Robin is always hyper-aware of potential threats, but they don't always end up happening. 
> 
> Neither Robin or Zoro know how old the other is, hence the confusion in the discussion about Isabellae's age. I don't see either of them making a fuss of birthdays. Robin thinks Zoro is close to her age, Zoro thinks she's maybe 4 or 5 years older than him, rather than 9.
> 
> Anyway, next chapter, Shells Town, and the meeting I know you've all been waiting for.


	27. Zoro's a Little Tied Up at the Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro reach Shells Town, where Zoro meets a plucky brunette and a chickenshit with a terrible haircut.
> 
> That's right, it's time for Rika and Helmeppo to step on-stage!

The trip to Shells Town would take a little over a week, but it was a peaceful journey. Papillion was in the north-central section of the East Blue, while their destination sat on the east end of the sea. The weather was hot, summer stubbornly refusing to give way to autumn, but the high temperatures came with a steady breeze that kept things from growing intolerable and sped them on their way.

Robin and Zoro spent the time as they usually did. Zoro continued to train, and Robin continued to assist. When Zoro wasn’t training, he was napping or occasionally fishing. He had more success with the former than the latter, but their food supplies weren’t in any danger.

As for Robin, she read and kept _Pipit_ on course as best she could (the maps of the East Blue were not of the best quality, so they were really heading to a general area more than a specific point.) She also tried to plan her movements once they reached their destination. How would she find this hidden Cipher Pol agent? How would she get his or her records? Would they be stronger than Champ du Rene?

It was her third consecutive day thinking this over. She sat beneath a large umbrella, staring blankly at her notebook. Neither she nor Zoro had been to Shells Town before, so she didn’t have much information to go on. The number of Marines, the layout of the base or the town. Communications. There were too many unknowns to make any solid plans, she concluded. She would have to leave her options open until she had a better grasp of the situation.

* * *

It was early afternoon, and Zoro had been training alone through the heat of the day. In addition to his usual swordsmanship practice and weight training, he’d begun trying to duplicate the techniques Le Renard learned from her father. He hadn’t had any success so far, and with only his memories of Le Renard’s movements to mimic, and no one to train him formally, it might be some time before there was any change. Not that _Pipit’s_ deck had enough room to be attempting Soru, anyway. If Zoro succeeded, he’d likely launch himself into the sea.

Robin still assisted him in his awareness training, but she noticed he saved that for the cooler parts of the day. He never outright said so, but she assumed he was still worried about exhausting her, and was trying to avoid it. It was unnecessary, but a kind gesture on his part. In return, she did her part to keep him in good condition. In this case, making sure he stayed hydrated by handing him a pitcher of water, which he drained immediately. 

“Thanks.” He dipped the pitcher into the sea, then dumped it over his head. It was warm, so not as refreshing as he’d like, but it got some of the sweat off. 

“You’re welcome. Taking a break?”

He grunted in the affirmative – less gravelly, slightly more elongated tone than a negatory grunt – and settled on the deck next to her chair, taking advantage of the shade as well. He rested his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. Robin’s eyebrows raised in surprise. Zoro usually took his naps at the front of the ship, so he could wake up and immediately resume training.

He spoke up after a few minutes. “You should work on learning those moves of hers, too.”

“Really?”

“You admitted there are people out there stronger than you.”

“I thought you were going to protect me, Mister Swordsman.”

“Sure, but if we’re separated like we were at the last island, it’d help if you can get away faster.” He glanced at her legs, stretched out on deck, one crossed over the other. “You’re a fast runner, and I’ve seen you kick a few people. You’ve got the leg strength for it.”

Robin hummed noncommittally. “I’ll think about it.”

Robin wasn’t even sure she wanted Zoro learning those skills. She was certain the World Government didn’t want anyone knowing those techniques. If he started using them, even as part of bounty hunting, would they become targets?

Then again, they were already hunting her. Her very existence was offensive to them. How much worse off could she be? Besides, knowing things the World Government didn’t want her to was the whole reason they were after her.

Zoro didn’t seem bothered by her unenthusiastic response. Instead, he leaned back to gaze up at the underside of the umbrella.

“This is nice. The shade, I mean.”

Robin glanced up as well. “Yes, I’m glad I purchased it. It certainly makes the heat more tolerable. And if you insist on sleeping outside in bad weather, you can use it to keep the rain off.”

The two settled back into comfortable silence until dinner.

* * *

It was Zoro’s turn to cook, which meant it was Robin’s turn to do dishes. The swordsman watched an assembly line of hands carried the plates away from the deck towards the small wash basin. He glanced at his partner, who didn’t look up from her book. He looked towards the helm, and sure enough, another hand grew from the floor, making small corrections to their course every so often.

“How do you do that?”

She looked up in confusion. Zoro gestured towards the helm, then towards the hands that were carefully washing and drying dishes, then passing to another chain that carried them to the cabinet where they stored their dishware.

She smiled secretively. “Much the same way as you use three swords at a time while fighting a dozen opponents: Practice.”

“It’s not the same though,” he insisted. “My swords are all moving to the same purpose. But I’ve seen you read while one hand’s steering, and a bunch of others are throwing things at me.”

“I highly doubt you actually saw that, Mister Swordsman. Unless you’re admitting to trying to cheat.” She pretended to frown. She knew full well he kept the blindfold firmly in place.

Zoro’s expression suggested he didn’t think that implication was funny. “I’m just curious,” he said. “It’s pretty cool.”

“Thank you, but you make it sound more impressive than it really is. You can wash dishes while talking, too. The only difference is, I have to concentrate a little to form those arms.” 

She waved lazily with her left arm towards the ones on dish duty. One of which paused and waved back, before resuming its work.

“But it isn’t that hard, and the other tasks I’m performing aren’t that complicated. For example, with such calm weather, I’m not doing much to keep us on course.”

That was certainly true. _Pipit_ was a wonderful craft. Robin considered herself a fair sailor, given the amount of experience she had, and the seas here were rarely terrible. Still, it sometimes felt like she barely had to do anything, the little vessel practically sailing itself.

“If we were in the middle of a fierce storm or a battle, I would have to put all my concentration to that. I couldn’t fend off pirates while doing a crossword.” 

(That might not be strictly true, depending on the strength of the pirates or the difficulty of the crossword, but it was a decent example.)

Zoro nodded. This whole thing was kind of interesting. “Is it weird? Does your brain get confused that you have so many arms or whatever?”

“It used to. If I made several arms, but only wanted one of them to do something, I had trouble commanding the right one, or only that one. I wasn’t joking when I said it took practice. Using a Devil Fruit is like developing any skill. You have to work at it.”

Zoro watched her, and his expression grew softer. “You’ve had a lot of chances to work at it, huh?”

* * *

Shells Town filled almost the entire island it sat on. A few trees held out here and there among the clusters of houses and shops, as well as a few stretches of exposed rocky shoreline, but that was as much of a stalemate as nature could manage. The town layered on itself, broken up by various towers colored in the blues of the Marines. At the highest point were the headquarters of the 153rd Marine Branch.

The base itself was dominated by the two largest towers, each with a single massive cannon pointing out towards the sea on their roof. The Marine symbol was emblazoned on the side of the larger of the two. Robin supposed it might look an intimidating defense, but it didn’t seem very practical. All the cannons were pointing in the same direction, for one thing. How quickly could they traverse, if they even could?

Robin filed that away under _“for when you need to make a quick exit”_ as she followed the winding stairways and streets towards the summit. Zoro wandered off shortly after they left the docks, mumbling about needing sword supplies. She let him go, although she kept her eyes peeled for any such stores as she walked. She doubted he’d have much success. Not unless someone in town was willing to escort him directly to such a place. Considering every person she met kept their eyes down and gaze averted, she didn’t think that likely.

That was alright. She’d find him later and help him. She wanted to conduct her initial reconnaissance alone. For all the he could move silently, with his green hair and three swords, the swordsman was rather noticeable. 

* * *

Zoro sat quietly at the bar, enjoying his lunch. Nothing fancy, but filling and tasty. They didn’t eat a lot of chicken on the ship, so it was a decent change of pace. And the place was peaceful. Not that Zoro minded the occasional wild brawl in a tavern, but he’d gotten used to quiet meals traveling with Raserei.

He swirled the water in his glass idly. Some sake would taste good about now. He really hoped he figured out a way to detect Raserei’s attacks soon.

He asked a bunch of people for directions to a shop that would sell cleaning supplies for his swords, but none of them got him where he wanted to go. He wondered if he’d waited long enough for the streets to stop moving around. 

_‘Someday, I’m gonna find the guy who keeps building all these moving cities and kick their ass.’_

His reverie was broken by the front door flying open and slamming against the wall, accompanied by a furious snarling. Zoro glanced up, then back towards his meal, only to do a double-take a second later.

A hideous creature had just entered the restaurant. And it had a wolf on the end of a leash.

The wolf immediately jumped on the nearest table and started eating the food. His owner didn’t do anything to rein it in, just stood there braying in an incredibly obnoxious tone at the whole scene, and neither did the two Marines behind him. The customers didn’t react either, beyond ducking their heads.

The guy in the ugly suit must be some kind of a bigwig, then. Like that Regent. Zoro scowled, not in the mood for dealing with another guy like that. He reminded himself Raserei needed to stay here and find this secret agent person. If Zoro pissed off the Marines, they might have to run.

So he’d stay out of it. Not his problem, anyway. 

Which is about the time he heard a young voice cry out in anger and a tiny shape went hurtling past him towards the wolf, a big wooden spoon raised over her head. And still, no one else was getting involved.

_‘Aw hell.’_

* * *

Robin kept the wide-brimmed hat she’d purchase on Papillion pulled down to shadow her face as she approached the headquarters, and scouted for a good vantage point. Not that security seemed very tight. There were no sentries stationed at the steel gate, although she could see several soldiers scrambling hastily back towards the barracks.

Robin easily scaled a tree at one corner, settling on a branch where she felt reasonably well-hidden. She took some time to just survey the base. The number of buildings and their locations, the number of Marines, looking for any patrols or sentries. She still didn’t see any. Curious.

Next, she used her powers to survey the interior of each building, eyes blooming in the corners, scanning intently. Where the communications were kept, the base commander’s office, records office and so on. She kept an especially close eye on Marines she saw, trying to pick out anything that might hint at who the hidden Cipher Pol agent was. Not that she had any idea how to tell. The whole point of Cipher Pol was they acted in secret. You weren’t supposed to be able to tell when you saw one. 

Robin hoped someone might look a little more alert to their surroundings. If they detected one of her eyes, well, that wasn’t good, but it might be a clue. Unfortunately, no one noticed, although every Marine she saw appeared on edge. As though they were expecting an attack, or call to arms at any moment.

By mid-afternoon, the sun dipped low enough to reach her eyes through the tree limbs. With her vision hampered, Robin decided to take a break. She dropped back to the ground and headed into the town. She’d find Zoro, they’d find an inn, and then make plans over dinner.

* * *

Zoro grimaced, trying to roll his shoulders. It wasn’t easy with both arms tied to a post parallel to the ground.

At least it was cooling off now with the sun down. They marched him up here and tied him up in late afternoon, and that hadn’t been great. It would be worse tomorrow, when he was here in the heat of the day. Not to mention the day after that, and the one after that, and the one after that. . .

He shook his head. He could do this. It was just endurance training. That was about will. Zoro had plenty of will. No problem.

His legs were tired from standing in one place so long, so he tried letting them splay out in front of him. This made him slump, which put all his weight on his arms and shoulders. Zoro shrugged it off (or tried to, shrugging being difficult at the moment). He’d bear it as long as he could, then stand up again. 

The moon began to rise over his back shoulder. None of the Marines were around. After that blonde idiot made them tie him up, they all trotted off. Not that Zoro really wanted to talk to them, but it would have been something to do. Maybe ask why they let that moron boss them around. Guy wasn’t even a Marine. 

He sighed. Might as well do some training. Couldn’t afford to slack off. He twisted his arms, ignoring the bite of the ropes, so his hands could grab hold of the crosspost, then lifted his body as high as he could. He bent his legs and drew them into his stomach, then extended them parallel to the ground in front of him. He lowered them until his heels almost touched the ground, then repeated the process, counting softly.

“What exactly are you doing, Mister Roronoa?”

This was the moment he’d dreaded most. Zoro raised his eyes to find Raserei perched on the wall across from him. One leg crossed over the other, chin resting on her palm, staring in confusion.

Zoro evaded. “Training, obviously.”

Raserei’s flat expression said he wasn’t getting away that easy. She phrased her question more specifically. “Why are you tied to a post, in the middle of a Marine base?”

Robin grew concerned when she couldn’t find him anywhere in town. _Pipit_ was still where they left it, so she began to wonder if he’d somehow wandered onto another vessel. Or somehow found the one patch of isolated wilderness on the island. When she asked around if anyone had seen him, they shook their heads and almost sprinted away. She thought perhaps he’d fought a pirate or bandit, but there were no signs of a battle.

At a dead end, and certain he could take care of himself, Robin returned to the base to scout it at night. And found Zoro tied to a post. Perhaps most troubling, his swords were nowhere to be seen. Not even the Meito blade he treasured.

Caught, Zoro admitted, “Got in trouble with the Marines, obviously. Or, some idiot with a lousy haircut that can boss Marines around.” 

“Zoro –“ She sounded like an exasperated parent. Not that he was surprised, given his current situation, but he really didn’t wanna hear it right now.

“Look, I’m gonna be here 30 days. If you find what you need before then, and you have to go, I understand. I’ll catch up when I can.”

She found that highly doubtful, as he’d have no way to know where she was going or how to get there (to say nothing of his likelihood of actually getting himself there) but didn’t say so. Instead she observed him silently, wondering what he’d done to land himself in this predicament.

Zoro suppressed the urge to squirm under her scrutiny. “Raserei, is there anything you want me to keep an eye out for? While I’m here?” 

The offer didn’t surprise her, but his almost apologetic tone did. It couldn’t hurt. If he really was going to be here for a month, the Marines would grow accustomed to him and might reveal something without knowing it. She didn’t have much hope that would work, but it was worth a shot.

“If you see any Marines that seem different from the others, or any sign of information arriving at unusual hours, that might be useful. Anything unusual at all, really.” 

The swordsman nodded silently, then resumed his workout. She spent some time observing the base quietly, then went down the hill to get some sleep.

* * *

Robin returned the next afternoon and was greeted by two voices. One she knew well, the other unfamiliar.

“Scram already.”

“But I want to thank you.”

“I don’t want your thanks, get lost.”

Robin leaned against the exterior of the wall, and formed an eye inside. Zoro, still tied to the post, talking to an extremely cheerful young girl with brown hair in pigtails. Though his words were unkind, Robin sensed no real hostility behind them.

The child was unphased by the swordsman’s attitude. “I can bring you food.”

“No.”

“You’ll get hungry. They aren’t going to feed you.”

“I know. That’s part of the deal.”

Robin eyes widened. Zoro said he was here for 30 days. Did he really plan to go without food for a month? 

“But – “

“Listen, uh. . .”

“Rika.”

“Right.” Zoro’s voice shifted. Even the half-hearted attempt at rudeness faded, leaving a gentle patience in its place. “Rika, part of the deal I made with that asshole was I could survive being tied to this post for a month with no food. In exchange, he leaves you and your mom alone. If I accept your food, then I’m going back on my word. Which means he can punish you and your mom like he wanted. Understand?”

“But Helmeppo’s a jerk!” the girl shouted, before gasping and clapping her hands over her mouth. Her eyes darted from side-to-side. Robin’s did as well, but there was no one else on the parade grounds at the moment. The little girl continued more quietly, but still fiercely. “He won’t keep his word!”

Zoro’s expression darkened in a way Robin had seen only when he faced a particularly cruel enemy. Every muscle in him went rigid. She would swear the air darkened briefly. Even though his eyes were directed at some point above and beyond Rika’s head, the child took a hesitant step back. 

The swordsman’s voice was tightly controlled, words carved precisely from ice. “If he doesn’t, he won’t get to regret it.” He visibly calmed himself, and glanced back at Rika. “You should go, before they see you.” 

The child nodded, and climbed back over the wall quickly. Robin dispersed the eye.

“Pardon me.” Rika whirled, falling backwards as she did. Her eyes wide with panic, ready to flee. Robin held up both hands in a placating gesture.

“Please, I don’t mean any harm. I was just wondering if you could tell me what happened.”

* * *

“You really are very sweet, Zoro.”

Zoro raised his head to see Raserei perched on the wall across from him again. Last night she’d been confused. Tonight she smiled as if at a private joke, although it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Zoro was pretty sure the joke was on him. He sighed. “What’s that mean?”

“Accepting this punishment to protect that little girl and her mother. Especially when you already saved her from a mad dog. You’re like a knight in the fairy tales.”

Zoro huffed. “Don’t be ridiculous, woman. I was trying to have a quiet lunch before going out to see if the streets stopped moving when this idiot comes in with a damn wolf. It was going to attack the kid because she didn’t want it tearing up the place. I stopped it. That’s all. And that guy is too weak to be a threat to me. I can survive this no problem.”

“I think you underestimate what it’s like to go without food for a month, Mr. Roronoa.”

He shrugged. She saw him wince. Even in moonlight, it was clear the ropes were beginning to rub his skin raw. “I guess we’ll see in a month. I haven’t noticed anything strange yet. I think mail came in around 10. It was just one big bag, but I couldn’t tell what was in it.”

She accepted the change in topic. “Are there any nighttime patrols?”

“Not that I’ve seen. Most of them file into their bunks after dinner. There might be one in that building.” He gestured with his hand in the direction of a building Robin knew was the communications array.

“Then perhaps I’ll snoop around the commander’s office a bit.”

“Be careful,” he called softly as she moved towards the largest tower. “I’ll call out if I see someone headed your way.”

She nodded in acknowledgement and continued on her way.

* * *

Zoro slumped against the cross beneath a burning sun. He felt like his brain was cooking. He thought it was a good idea to cover his head, but now he wondered if his bandanna was actually doing any good in keeping the sun off, or if it was just trapping the heat. 

_‘Stop thinking about it. You can beat this. Just ride it out.’_

There was the increasing discomfort in his stomach to focus on, but that wasn't much better. Zoro shut his eyes and tried to focus on something other than his current predicament. That proved rather difficult, given there wasn’t much else there to look at or listen to besides Marines, and they were the reason he was here.

Zoro rarely gave much thought to Marines. He didn’t encounter many before he left the dojo to travel the seas. Once he began bounty hunting, he only met them when he brought a bounty in. He pretty much only saw Marines sitting behind desks filling out papers, or practicing marching and shit inside their bases. Given the sheer number of bandits and pirates roaming the seas and islands, the Marines didn’t seem to be doing their job. If they were scared, that was their business, but they shouldn’t take a job that involves fighting and protecting people.

(Johnny and Yosaku were scared a lot, but they still fought, even when they got their asses kicked.)

Right now, though, he didn’t have much else to do but think. He could only replay past fights in his head so much. Could only practice his footwork so much when he was stuck in one place. Seeing as he was surrounded by Marines, they were in his thoughts a lot. Between the ones on Papi, Papa, Papyrus Island?, yeah, that sounded right, and five days and counting around the ones here, he was starting to actively hate Marines. This bunch only seemed to have two jobs, both of which involved following around a blonde idiot.

The first blonde idiot, with his dumb hair and that huge chin, the reason he was tied up. He came over whenever he was bored, to sneer and taunt Zoro. It was fine. Well, not really. The guy’s face begged for Zoro to punch it again. Just punch it until it was an unrecognizable lump of meat. Really, as stupid as the guy looked, it would be an improvement. 

But it was fine, Zoro had the guy’s measure. Just some squawking idiot bossing everyone around and threatening to tell his father if they didn’t jump to fill whatever demand he made. No regard for anyone else, but no spine at all if you stood up to him. Totally reliant on his father’s alleged strength. His father being the _other_ blonde idiot, and apparent commander of the base.

The guy had an actual axe for a hand. What the fuck?! Zoro believed in handling swords as if they were an extension of himself, but that was taking it too far. Not that he’d seen the guy use it for anything yet. He hadn’t seen the guy do _anything_ yet. Unless you count yelling about how great he was, while all the Marines fell over themselves to agree.

Case in point, Zoro opened his eyes as Captain Morgan’s growl carried across the parade grounds. He was giving some order to one Marine, a scrawny guy with spiky brown hair sticking out from under the sides of his cap. Who saluted and ran out the front gate like his ass was on fire.

Morgan didn’t seem interested in the prisoner tied up in the yard. The only prisoner he had, as far as Zoro could tell. Not surprising, since Zoro hadn’t seen any sign these Marines went looking for pirates. Unless one walked right in, this guy wasn’t gonna catch them. 

Zoro had only spoken with Morgan once, after seeing him for the first time. (It probably said something he didn’t see the base commander until his third day.) Zoro thought he was hallucinating in the heat – he’d swear it was getting hotter each day. Wasn’t it fall by now? – and the guy couldn’t have an axe for a hand. When he figured out it was real, he burst out laughing.

Morgan stopped whatever he was doing and frowned – well maybe he did, hard to tell with a metal jaw – then stomped over. He stood in front of Zoro, glaring in what was supposed to be intimidating fashion. Zoro wasn’t fazed, standing as tall as he could, making sure his legs didn’t wobble. (Physical training was getting harder every day. The little water they provided didn’t do much for his stomach.)

“What’s funny, criminal?”

Zoro jerked his head at the axe. “That. . . is the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen. You ever get careless with it and try scratching your ass by accident? Is that what happened to your face?”

The Marine following behind him, second-in-command, Zoro thought, had barely suppressed a shocked gasp, then winced as if bracing himself for an unpleasant sight. Morgan raised his chin, trying to look down on Zoro even more than he already did.

“ _This,_ ” he hefted the stupid axe, “is a sign of my greatness. It’s why this base is _mine_ , these Marines are _mine_ , and this town is _mine_. You’d do well to respect that, or I’ll cut you down here and now.”

Zoro had only grinned ferally. Not that the guy didn’t mean it. Zoro knew the guy meant it. Zoro also knew he could beat this guy’s ass with just his legs, while tied to this post. It would be the most fun he’d had all week. (Hitting the guy’s son would have been in the running, but he didn’t know how annoying the guy was at the time, so he didn’t pause to savor it. Maybe he’d get another chance before it was over.) 

Morgan had missed the meaning of the smile and took Zoro’s silence for compliance. He turned away, swinging his axe at any of his men who didn’t move fast enough. The Marines backed up fast, mice scattering from the sight of a cat, then falling in line behind him. 

Now, satisfied with whatever order he’d given, Morgan stormed off towards his office. Meager excitement over, Zoro started to close his eyes, maybe resume training his other senses, but saw the second-in-command stop suddenly and stare at something behind Zoro. He managed to crane his neck enough to see the Marine with the spiky brown hair. The second, Robber? Ribber?, something, gestured at him, before speaking in a sharp whisper.

“Did you get the Captain’s blade polish?”

“Huh?” Total incomprehension, then blind terror. “He, he didn- I mean, no!”

“Go get it before he notices you!”

“Ye, yes sir!” And the man sprinted out of the base again, like his ass was on fire, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't originally intend for Zoro or Robin to end up at Shells Town. Because I didn't want their adventures to just be the original Straw Hats' journey, but just the two of them. Then I realized if Zoro didn't go there, Helmeppo's wolf would have probably killed Rika. Couldn't have that. So a stop at Shells Town it was.
> 
> Next time, Robin plans her attack and tries to keep her partner alive. Meanwhile, Zoro receives an offer to join a crew.


	28. The Numbers Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin's search for the Cipher Pol agent continues, and she makes her move. Zoro continues to stay alive and gets some surprise visitors.

Robin approached under cover of darkness. She hadn’t put as much thought into what she might search for as she intended during the day. Her mind kept coming back to how to get Zoro out of his situation. 

This was his eighth night tied to that post, and she could tell his energy was waning. For the first time, he wasn’t exercising when she climbed over the wall. She tried bringing him food the night before, with no more luck than Rika.

(She briefly considered using her powers to hold him in place and force food down his throat, but felt like it would be too great a breach of trust between them.

Also, he might bite her if she tried, and Robin knew how much Zoro trained his jaw muscles. She liked all her fingers where they were.)

When she scaled the wall, his head lifted and grey eyes met hers. His gaze was still clear and bright, she noted. He offered a faint grin, although it wasn’t reassuring when contrasted with how his sunken cheeks shadowed in the moonlight.

“Funny how we keep meeting each other.”

“Well it is a small island, Zoro.”

He chuckled. “Good to see you, Raserei. What’s your plan for tonight?”

She dropped to the ground softly, reaching into her pack as she approached him. She held up a first aid kit.

“First is to treat those rope burns, Zoro. They look as though they’re already infected.”

Zoro tsked, and she expected him to say not to bother, but he remained silent. She shifted the ropes as much as she could to expose the burns. She did it carefully, because even the parts of his arms not touched by the ropes were burning under the constant exposure to the sun. 

She swiped some alcohol against the worst burns gently. Zoro watched their surroundings, alert for any sign of trouble. As she applied ointment and bandages, she noticed a scuff mark on his cheek with bruising around it. Her finger lingered on it as her eyes met his.

“The little idiot tried to show off,” he offered, unprompted. “I think he broke a knuckle from the way he cried.” 

Zoro laughed hoarsely, wincing at the movement. Robin’s hand drifted lower, running along his ribs (more prominent against skin than she’d prefer). Zoro tried to still his body, but she felt his side twitch as she prodded.

“So he ordered the Marines to do it for him.”

Zoro tried to play it off. “It’s fine. They aren’t much stronger than he is.”

“Zoro,” she began, knowing it was futile, “he won’t honor his agreement. You know that, don’t you?”

The swordsman let out a long breath, and his head slumped. “It wouldn’t surprise me, but it’s the bargain I made. _His_ word may not be worth much, but _mine_ is.”

Robin matched his sigh with one of her own. That Zoro took his promises so seriously was normally something she took comfort in. Right now, as it endangered his health, it was just frustrating. 

But there was nothing for it. “Very well. Have you noticed anything?”

“Not really. A different person seems to get the mail when it shows up. But I told you I wasn’t the only person who gets confused by these moving buildings and streets.”

“What do you mean?” Robin pulled a canteen from her pack, holding it up to Zoro’s lips. He drank greedily. The Marines weren’t giving him much water, but he at least agreed with her that water wasn’t food.

He took a long inhale as she pulled back the canteen. “There’s a Marine every day running off to do something, then they pop up from another part of the base.” 

“Really?” Robin answered absently, not putting much stock in it. With Zoro’s sense of direction, the Marines in question could be leaving and entering through the same door and he would still get confused.

His stomach rumbled loudly, unsatisfied with just water. They both ignored it. “Yeah. A lot of them seem to forget stuff, too. They get an order, run off, then when they pop up, act like they never got the order.”

That caught her attention. “Is it the same one?”

“No. Seems to be a different Marine all the time. Hey, Raserei?”

“Yes?”

“You haven’t seen where they’re keeping my swords, have you?”

“I believe Helmeppo has them in his room.”

“He isn’t. . . _touching_ them, is he?” His voice suggested even the idea of that happening worried him far more than his own condition.

“Not that I can tell.” Zoro relaxed a little. He’d been worried that idiot might mess around with them. He didn’t want Kuina’s sword wielded by that jackass.

Robin packed the medical supplies and returned to the wall. She paused at the top, staring into the distance thoughtfully. “How many Marines would you say are stationed here?”

Zoro closed his eyes. Counting off all the people he’d seen. “I never see them all at once but, 25, unless you count Morgan’s dumb kid. Why? Where are you going?”

“I think I’ll try some reconnaissance in the daytime, instead. There’s something I want to check,” she replied, a mysterious smile on her face. She hoped it was reassuring. “Sleep well, Mister Roronoa.”

* * *

Early the next morning, Robin took her perch in the tree at the corner of the base. None of the Marines were up yet, but she caught Zoro’s attention briefly. She waved once, and he nodded, then closed his eyes and went back to whatever he was doing. Meditating, she assumed. She hoped it helped with the constant hunger he must be experiencing.

(Those two weeks she spent in a lifeboat, she had run out of food after six days. It was fortunate the first person who found her when she reached land didn’t recognize her until after they’d fed her.)

The first few hours were uneventful. Robin silently counted Marines as they moved around the base. Zoro ceased meditating and for a time, she thought he was practicing dance steps. Then she realized he was probably going over footwork for his swordsmanship. 

She could tell when Captain Morgan awoke – around 9 – just by the Marines' behavior. As if there was a signal audible only to them, every one tensed. Any levity or calm vanished. All of them began moving at a faster, more frantic pace.

Morgan’s son didn’t make an appearance until almost noon. Robin had seen him around town, a skinny blonde in a garish suit and terrible bowl cut, smug grin permanently smeared on his face. Strutting about with two Marines following obediently behind him. Enjoying the abject terror of the townspeople. Confident his status rendered him untouchable. 

For the moment, he was content to taunt his captive. “And how are we this morning, Roronoa? Feeling hungry?” 

Her partner drawled, “I was until I saw your face. Killed my appetite completely. Ever consider a career in weight loss?”

“Big talk for a helpless man. Perhaps you need more of what you got yesterday.” He stood there waiting, and when nothing happened, turned to the Marines. “Well? I said get to it! Or shall I tell Daddy on you?”

The Marines gulped, then stepped forward and began to rain blows on Zoro’s chest and stomach. Zoro braced his feet firmly and kept his head high, eyes locked on Helmeppo’s. He didn’t utter a sound, or let his expression waver for a second.

Robin couldn’t stand it, the Marines’ cruelty and cowardice always a sore point. Her arms rose, ready to break all three of them into pieces, when Zoro’s eyes snapped to hers. She froze, his gaze holding hers like a vise. She reluctantly lowered her arms.

_‘He sees this as a battle. He doesn’t want me interfering.’_

Zoro said he could take it, and he was letting Helmeppo define what “it” was. It made her stomach churn to watch, anger coiled within and building every moment, with no place for it to go. Robin wanted to look elsewhere, tried, but found her eyes trapped there, staying with her partner. Just in case. 

The Marines stopped eventually, huffing and wheezing. Even though their strength was as unimpressive as Zoro said, they landed a terrible number of hits. Helmeppo stepped closer, looking Zoro over. The swordsman remained on his feet, smirking insolently, but it took effort. Satisfied, Helmeppo turned to leave. 

Zoro tripped him, and the brat smashed face first into the hard ground. Robin took a vicious satisfaction from it. The Marines rushed to help him up, his nose already bleeding.

“How – how dare you?!” he screeched. If his voice was this irritating at a distance, it was a testament to Zoro’s control he hadn’t snapped and killed the boy yet. “I’ll tell my Daddy!”

“No, you won’t.” Helmeppo’s mouth snapped shut, Zoro’s stare landing on the boy like a mountain. His smile sharp and cruel. “Because you know one of these days, he’s going to decide you’re too irritating to deal with and just kill you. Less you bother him, less chance it happens today.”

Helmeppo’s eyes widened and he ran away, Marines on his heels.

Two things of interest occurred the remainder of the day. One, Robin only counted 24 Marines, excluding Helmeppo, rather than 25. Which matched the quick count she’d made in the barracks with her powers the night before. Two, she observed the phenomenon Zoro spoke of. A Marine left the base abruptly, only to reappear inside the base shortly thereafter. From her vantage point, she had seen the Marine go downhill into town. Yet they reappeared from within the base. 

And it was the Marine that volunteered to collect the mail that day.

* * *

Three more days of careful observation passed. Robin sat poring over her notes as she ate dinner at Rika’s mother’s restaurant. Despite the general air of fear that seemed to permeate the island, the restaurant was warm and welcoming, especially once Rika introduced Robin as “Mr. Zoro’s friend.” Ririka particularly appreciated that Robin would pass along any updates on Zoro to Rika, which helped keep her daughter safely away from the base. 

(The updates were edited, of course. Focusing mainly on clever or funny things he said or observed about the Marines. Rika greatly enjoyed the story of Zoro tripping Helmeppo, even if Robin left out what preceded it. Robin wasn’t going to mention the beatings, or how much Zoro’s shirt was starting to hang off him. How much more time he was spending not moving.)

She was able to spend hours there, seated in a corner, planning without being disturbed. 

(It also meant she could act as protection if Helmeppo showed up. Zoro was counting on Helmeppo to keep his word, but Robin knew all too well that children weren’t safe from the Marines.)

She had found a pattern. A different Marine made the surprise appearance each time, but always the one that collected the mail. It didn’t happen every time mail arrived. Sometimes the Marine left to retrieve the mail, then returned without incident. But it only happened when there was mail to collect. What was more, there was always someone in the communications office at night, transmitting in what was clearly a code, but no duty roster for it she could find. 

The problem was, the Marine in communications was _also_ always different, not the one that collected the mail that day. What’s more, Robin could account for all the Marines, asleep in their bunks. There shouldn’t be anyone left to be in the communications building, but there was. The extra Marine Zoro counted.

(When she asked last night how he’d come to the conclusion there were 25 Marines, the swordsman shrugged. 

_‘That’s how many different footfalls there were.’_

Her partner was a strange man.)

With the mail arriving this morning, she intended to sneak in tonight. If she could draw the Marine out suddenly, she could search anything they left behind.

Robin frowned as she went over her plan. She was rushing this more than she would have liked. It was possible all the Marines were working together to send reports of Morgan’s shameful abuse of power in secret. It didn’t seem likely, but there were still variables she hadn’t accounted for. She hadn’t observed anyone that seemed unusually strong or alert, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there. Champ du Rene hid his strength well. She didn’t think she’d been observed, either, but there could still be a trap waiting.

But she was out of time. She needed to get this done, then find some way to make Zoro to leave with her. Helmeppo stopped by earlier, his arrogance having rebuilt itself since Zoro’s words cut him days earlier. 

Robin had maintained her placid demeanor from her seat at the end of the bar, but ready to act. Ririka and the other customers shrank back from the blonde. Rika, however, hadn’t been intimidated, standing boldly before him. 

“You can’t bother us! You made a deal with Mister Zoro!”

The young man laughed, and Robin wondered if she could kick his chin hard enough it exited through the top of his skull, and if even that would be enough to shut him up.

Helmeppo responded smugly, “That deal is void if Roronoa doesn’t make it 30 days, and he won’t. It’s just a matter of when I get bored and have him executed.”

Rika had looked ready to attack, tiny fists clenched, but her mother thankfully restrained her. Helmeppo enjoyed a good laugh at the girl’s tears before spinning on his heel and marching out. From her seat, Robin watched him depart through narrowed eyes. She made a note to badly injure him before she left. Or make certain Zoro did.

* * *

“It’s time for you to leave, Zoro. He’s going to have you killed when you can’t defend yourself.”

Zoro sagged against the ropes. The gnawing hunger and weakness fell away, replaced by a dull disbelief. Contrary to what Raserei and Rika thought, he knew there was a good chance Helmeppo would go back on the deal. But Zoro thought it wouldn’t happen until after the 30 days were over. That Helmeppo was the kind of ass to let him stew for the whole month, then break his word. Then Zoro could kick the brat’s ass, but also keep his word. 

To know he never had a chance to succeed was a gut punch a lot worse than those Marines dished out. 

He looked up as his partner moved towards the ropes. “Hold on, Raserei.”

“You can’t be intending to stay. That’s suicide.” She was ready to just knock him out, carry his unconscious body back to the ship, and deal with the consequences later.

“No, I get it. But if you free me now, someone might notice. Go take care of your business, pick me up on the way back. Not like they’re going to shoot me in the middle of the night while the twerp’s asleep.”

“And your swords?”

“We’ll get ‘em before we leave, so I can convince that fucker to behave himself.” Zoro wondered how far he might be willing to go with that. He wondered if Raserei would object if he decided to kill Helmeppo. Somehow, for all that she didn’t want to attract attention, he didn’t think so.

She nodded. At least he agreed to leave. “I’ll return as soon as I can. Don’t go anywhere,” she called as she slipped past him into the shadows. 

Zoro didn’t bother to respond to her joke. He began shifting his legs and arms experimentally as best he could. Clenching and unclenching his fists, testing his grip strength. He wasn’t going to be his best if they had to fight, but for the quality of Marines on this base, it would be fine.

He looked up at the sound of two pairs of feet landing near the wall. A man and a woman he’d never seen before. The man wore a ridiculous suit, covered in light-up 7s. He even had the number stenciled on his cheek. The woman next to him wore a pair of knee-high boots with sharp, tall heels, matched with a multi-colored skirt and top. The patterns on both were bizarre and ugly. They watched him with unfriendly smiles, eyes running up and down over him.

“Pirate Hunter Zoro? We have a job offer for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn't think I'd forgotten about Baroque Works trying to recruit Zoro, did you?
> 
> Part of me thinks I'm being too hard on Helmeppo, because it couldn't have been a happy childhood with a dad like Morgan (at least not after he became a complete asshole, unless he was like that even before Jango messed with his mind). On the other hand, he was literally going to let his wolf attack a small child, so maybe he deserves whatever I dish out.
> 
> Next time, it's a four-way (or possibly five-way) battle at the 153rd Branch!


	29. Free-for-All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin finds the hidden Cipher Pol agent. Zoro is confronted by Baroque Works.
> 
> Everybody fights.

Robin stole silently into the squat building that housed the base’s transponder snails. From the outside it was dark and silent as the rest of the base. Inside though, one room was dimly lit, and a low voice could be heard.

In that room, a single Marine hunched over a dark snail, speaking a series of unintelligible phrases. It wasn’t any language Robin recognized offhand. Meaning a code of some sort. She crossed by the open doorway and became one with the shadows. Outside, an arm formed on the ground outside and tossed a small rock onto the roof. As it clattered overhead, the voice paused.

“Please hold.” They rose, moving silently with practiced ease, slipped out the door, then outside. Robin moved a chair under the knob to keep it closed, then returned to the office. There were a few dispatches, also written in code. Next to them, a small red book, a miniature copy of the Marine’s Code of Regulations. Letters had been clipped out of several pages.

Robin tried to translate the information swiftly. 

“Limited progress. . .still undeciphered. . .more attempts pending. . .” she murmured softly.

Absorbed as she was, Robin didn’t miss the sound of a window being pushed open, of someone entering the room across the hall. She continued to pore over the notes for something more concrete, waiting.

The Marine reached for her and Robin turned and smoothly caught his hand with her own, overpowering him easily.

“You should keep your hands to yourself.”

He winced. “Could say the same to you.” 

He pressed his palm tightly against hers, and Robin gasped as a current of electricity coursed through her. Her hand spasmed, refusing to release, but she managed a clumsy kick to the gut, sending him back into the hall. The Marine caught themselves, chuckling.

“Not bad, but you don’t know what you’re up against.”

“You’re from Cipher Pol.”

“Wrong! I am from Ciph- wait, how did you know?!” He jabbed his finger accusingly, jaw dropping in shock.

Robin shrugged, feigning indifference while trying to determine what other tricks the agent might have. His eye twitched in annoyance at her silence.

“I’ll have the answers soon! No information is safe from Maestra Disfrazo of CP5! **Shocking Reveal!** ” 

The agent spun in a circle, discarding the Marine uniform, as well as a wig and facial hair, revealing a woman around Robin’s age with brilliantly golden hair wearing a dark black suit and tie. As soon as the spin concluded, she lunged at Robin, palm with the taser extended.

Robin carefully caught her by the wrist with one arm and twisted to the side. As Disfrazo passed, Robin pulled the agent’s arm back over her shoulder, dislocating it. To the agent’s credit, she didn’t scream, but did almost pass out.

Robin carefully removed the taser, pocketing it for later. Maintaining her grip on the agent’s arm, she leaned closer to whisper dangerously in her ear.

“I would like to know the location of the island those reports are coming from. I think you’ll find no information is safe from _me_ , either.”

* * *

“You aren’t really in a position to refuse,” the guy, who introduced himself as Mister Seven, said patiently.

“Sure I am,” Zoro replied. “Fuck off.”

“You’re starving to death and tied to a post!” the woman, a brunette calling herself Miss Father’s Day, what a stupid name, shouted. Her partner glared at her, and she continued in a quieter voice. “We can get you out of here.”

“I can do that myself. Same as I can hunt bounties myself. I’m not interested in joining your little club. I’m not interested in working for anyone. Especially when I don’t know who they are.”

“The bounty hunting is just a cover, to make funds,” Seven insisted, running his hands through his sandy blonde hair in frustration. “We’re working towards something bigger.”

“According to your boss.”

“Yes.”

“That you’ve never met or spoken to.”

“That’s the whole point,” Miss Father’s Day argued. “Even if someone got wind we were up to something, they could never stop us because they couldn’t possibly find out who all of us were.”

“Exactly,” Seven chimed in. “We operate unseen.”

Zoro thought it sounded like everyone could be easily replaced, because nobody would know anything vital. Everybody except the mysterious boss were expendable pawns. 

He smirked condescendingly. “If they’re as good at blending in as you two, I can believe it.” 

Both of them glared. His smirk grew. Pissing these two off was really helping his mood. “You want to work for someone that badly, you could work for me and my partner.”

They laughed. “I don’t think we’ll follow a guy dumb enough to get caught by East Blue Marines. And what partner? I don’t see anyone else here helping you.”

“She’s got her own business to take care of.” He shrugged in resignation. “Fine, I’ll join.”

The two threw their hands into the air in relief. “Finally,” Miss Father’s Day exclaimed, before being shushed again.

Zoro continued, “But only to become boss myself.”

“What?!”

“Why not?” Zoro said nonchalantly, while wondering how the hell the Marines hadn’t noticed these idiots shouting yet. “For all you know, I’m stronger than your boss. You don’t know who you’re following. They might be a total pushover, or a complete dumbass.”

He paused to look them over. “Judging by how they dressed you two, I’m positive they’re a dumbass. Or they got a sick sense of humor.”

“That does it!” Seven shouted, forgetting he was trying to be sneaky. “I won’t let you mock our unknown boss like that! He’s got big plans!”

Seven stabbed his sword at Zoro’s heart. Zoro raised his legs and caught the blade between the soles of his boots. Seven struggled, at first trying to push his sword forward, then to pull it back. It didn’t budge. 

Zoro scoffed. This guy must be weak if he could handle him this easily without having eaten in 12 days. When Seven gripped the hilt with both hands and went to pull, Zoro let go. The man fell backwards with such force he rolled over twice and ended up face down in the dirt.

“ **Full Windsor!** ” Miss Father’s Day ripped one of the patterns off her shirt, revealing it as a tie, then threw it over Zoro’s head and cinched it tightly around his neck. He tensed his muscles as much as possible, keeping it from strangling him completely, but he couldn’t maintain that forever, nor could he manage to reach it with his teeth and try breaking it.

“Keep him steady, Miss Father’s Day,” Mister Seven snarled as he got back up. The stencil on his face smeared by the dirt, the horizontal line now bent to touch the diagonal.

“Looks like. . . you got. . . demoted, Mister Nine,” Zoro choked out, laughing even as Miss Father’s Day increased the pressure.

Zoro planted his feet firmly on the earth, crouching as much as he could, then twisted his arms so his palms rested against the underside of the crossbar they were tied to. Straining, he pushed up against it with all he had. Nothing happened.

_‘Come on.’_

“What’s he even trying to do?” Miss Father’s Day cackled.

“Who cares? **Lucky Slash!** ” Seven charged, ready to cut Zoro’s stomach open.

With a strangled yell, Zoro gave one more heave, and the entire post lifted out of the earth. He immediately spun in a circle. Mister Seven’s sword cut through the ropes around Zoro’s waist, but Zoro kept turning.

**“Zero Sword Style: Dragon Twister!”**

Miss Father’s Day didn’t release her grip on the tie until after she was flying through the air with a surprised scream trailing behind her. She crashed heavily into the side of the barracks. Finally, lights came on inside, Marines pouring out, half-dressed and confused. One of them noticed Zoro and Seven, pointing and shouting,

“Look, Pirate Hunter Zoro has an accomplice helping him escape!”

Zoro awkwardly dodged another attack. “I’m still tied to the post! He’s trying to kill me, you fucking morons!”

“No I’m not!” Seven taunted gleefully. “Come on partner, let me cut you loose and let’s escape!”

“Kill him!” an intensely irritating voice screeched from somewhere in the main tower.

* * *

Robin got quite a bit of information out of Maestra Disfrazo. That she was part of CP5. That she hid in the ceiling of this building, when she wasn’t impersonating one of the Marines to collect the dispatches she needed to decode (or sneaking into the mess hall to swipe cupcakes).

And, of course, the location of the secret research base. Robin was about to ask what they were researching exactly when she was distracted by shouting outside. Forming an eye, she saw Zoro under attack from two people. One of them wearing a suit covered in 7s.

She froze. _‘It can’t be them. Did they find me somehow?’_

Her distraction gave Disfrazo an opening. **“Surprise Twist!”**

The agent spun, getting behind Robin. She grabbed the wrist of her dislocated arm from Robin’s grasp and pulled the limb back against the archaeologist’s throat, bracing one knee against the small of Robin’s back.

She hissed, **“Choking Silence.”**

Robin’s fingers scrabbled against the slick fabric of the coat, unable to find purchase. She slammed her elbow into the woman’s stomach. Once, twice, three times. Disfrazo laughed mockingly between strikes, but her grip loosened just enough for Robin to get her hands between the arm and her throat. She wrenched it clear, then grabbed Disfrazo by the hair and slammed her facefirst through the desk. The Cipher Pol agent groaned, trying to rise, but a strong kick to the back of the head knocked her out.

“Hey, I heard something in Communications!”

Wasting no time, Robin gathered the code book, dispatches, and all the notes she could find. She would love to explore Disfrazo’s secret room in the ceiling for more, but the Marines were already battering the main door. Robin found a window in another room that was unobserved and slipped out as the Marines came in through the front.

She crouched tightly against the wall for a moment, catching her breath. Listening as the Marines found Disfrazo. Using her powers, she observed a three-way battle between the remaining Marines, Zoro, and the new Mister Seven and his partner. Far above, Helmeppo leaned out his window, yelling at the Marines to kill Zoro.

Her partner was still tied to the post, but at least able to move somewhat. It was clear almost two weeks without food took its toll on his speed and stamina. Robin turned to the central tower, sprinting into the shadows that cloaked its base. Forming an arm to open a window from within, she slipped into the dark room quietly. Pausing at the door, she scanned the halls and found them empty. Unsurprising. Morgan didn’t allow any Marines inside the main tower at night, lest they disturb the slumber one as “great” as he required.

She ran through the hall to the stairway, taking steps three at a time with her long strides as she headed for the upper levels. She would have Zoro’s swords soon, but in the meantime, she’d give him a hand.

* * *

 **“Four in Hand!”** Four Marines’ swords were wrenched from their grasps by Miss Father’s Day’s hideous ties. She cracked the ties like whips, flinging them back point first. Two Marines dived out of the way, but two weren’t so quick, screaming as they were impaled. The Marines weren’t sure who to attack, and lacked any real organization, too used to waiting for Morgan to tell them what to do. Their commanding officer hadn’t put in an appearance, although his son wouldn’t shut up. So they simply attacked everyone.

 **“Jackpot!”** Mister Seven's seven quick stabs drove back several Marines who had been getting ready to charge. Zoro twisted this way and that, avoiding wild swings and feeling the wood of the post splinter as a bullet struck its back.

Seven wasn’t near Le Renard’s level at all. But he was careful not to attack near Zoro’s arms, to avoid freeing his opponent completely. Worse, Zoro could feel himself tiring rapidly, breath coming in ragged gasps. His legs were growing heavy, back aching from lugging this post around. Seemingly in response to the thought, his legs wobbled, the bottom of the post scraping against the hardpacked ground.

 **“Cutting You Off!”** Seven lunged, trying to attack Zoro’s feet. Zoro rocked back on the post momentarily, then brought one boot down on the sword, trapping it. His other boot went into Mister Seven’s stupid face, sending the man sprawling again.

 **“Pratfall!”** A tie encircled Zoro’s extended foot and wrenched it backwards, spilling him onto his face. The post cracked the back of his head, pain erupting with the impact. He groaned in the dirt as the weight pressed him into the parade ground, sharp stones digging into his face and chest. Zoro struggled to get his knees under him, to push himself up. His body trembled, muscles cramping, something pounded out a steady painful rhythm in his head. He tried to ignore it all, get one foot under him. 

_‘First one, then the other, then stand.’_

“Just hold on a moment, Zoro,” a familiar voice whispered from next to his ear. Glancing under his arm, he saw hands bloom on the underside of the post, hidden in shadow, swiftly undoing the ropes holding his arms.

 **“Bow Knot!”** Miss Father’s Day combined a tie with a Marine’s musket. She couldn’t have many attacks left, seeing as her skirt was just about gone, and her stomach was exposed entirely. But she had a sword set up to fire like an arrow. If that worked, she wouldn’t need many more.

As she fired, Raserei’s hands finished their work. The post fell away and Zoro plucked the sword from the air. His arm was a mixture of agonizing pain from the sudden movement, and blessed relief at being free of the ropes’ constriction. Miss Father’s Day’s jaw hit the ground.

“Thanks,” he grinned, waving the sword experimentally to test his range of motion. His shoulder twinged unpleasantly. “Don’t suppose you’d mind sending me two more?”

“Don’t get cocky!” Mister Seven lunged, but Zoro parried easily, sending his attacker stumbling back a couple of steps. The asshole’s increasingly swollen face finally showed a little fear, as he realized how outmatched he was.

“What are you all doing?!” the blonde idiot screeched from his window. “Just shoot them! All of them! Right now!”

A few Marines moved to comply, aiming rifles at the two swordsmen. Zoro cursed. He didn’t have enough strength for a 36 Pound Cannon. He prepared to dive behind the post when a voice called out.

“No you don’t! **Four in Hand!** “ Miss Father’s Day yanked several of the rifles away. Not that the Marines seemed to mind, as they all stared with dopey grins. She glared, confused by the reaction. “What?”

“Uh, partner?” Seven said hesitantly, “I think you’re out of ties.”

The woman looked down and saw that yes, she was down to just boots and underwear. She noticed several of the Marines' faces were turning red.

“You perverts!” she screamed, flinging the rifles back at them, then trying to reattach the ties strategically.

“We’re sorry!” the Marines shouted as they were struck with their own weapons, falling like ten pins.

“I told you to use your ties for more than one attack before throwing them away,” Mister Seven pointed out.

“Shut it! I don’t want hear anything from you. Your face looks like a piece of meat that got run over by a stampede!”

Their arguing ceased as Zoro started to laugh, loudly. It echoed through the base, easily the first time real laughter had been heard there in years.

“What’s so funny?”

“You guys,” he said between laughs. “You’re complete idiots.”

“What is going on here?” Axe-Hand Morgan finally arrived on the scene, leaping from his window to land heavily at the base of the tower, dust billowing out from his arrival. 

* * *

Morgan scowled at the scene before him, furious. These pests scurrying around his base, trying to defy his will. “Why haven’t you executed these criminals?”

“We’re trying, sir! They’re very strong! We did capture one of them in Communications!”

The second-in-command was cut off as Morgan backhanded him with the axe. Ripper flew through the air, blood trailing from the wound as he crashed and rolled across the dirt. Two of his men ran towards him, then froze and looked back at Morgan in terror. Their expressions said they expected to be killed at any moment.

Zoro barely noticed, his focus was on Ripper’s words. They’d captured Raserei? How? These guys weren’t anywhere near good enough for that! Was she distracted when she was helping him?

He saw two Marines hauling someone out of the building she’d entered. He’d have to go through the rest of them to reach her. He was tired enough it might be tough, but she was his partner. He’d manage.

He charged, arms crossed in front of him, lone sword gripped in his teeth, eyes locked on the line of Marines. They quailed in terror at the sight. Even with his ratty clothes hanging loosely off his dirty, exhausted body, he was terrifying. His current state actually made it worse. They saw a furious, wounded beast, eye sockets reduced to voids in the shadows, bent on their destruction. He barreled into the Marines like a cannonball.

 **“Single Sword Demon Cutter!”** He swung his fists out to either side, slamming them into Marine bodies and faces, feeling bones give way under the impact, while those directly in his way were cut and fell. Then he was through the crowd, heading straight for the two cringing Marines holding his partner, when he realized it wasn’t Raserei.

He skidded to a stop. “Who the hell are you?”

The woman sniffled pitifully, lips trembling below huge, pleading eyes. Even a few tears for dramatic effect. “I’m just an innocent victim! Please save me!”

The bounty hunter’s eyes narrowed. “You’re the spy, aren’t you?”

Her eyes widened in shock, but they were interrupted by that blonde idiot screeching. “Kill him, Daddy! He insulted mee-aaaaaah!”

Helmeppo went toppling out the window, his face forming the ugliest impact crater in history when he crash landed behind his father. Zoro looked to the window and found Raserei standing there, holding his swords. The woman looked extremely satisfied.

“I’m sure you wanted the pleasure of doing that yourself Zoro,” She called, “but I hope you’ll accept these as an apology.” 

She threw his swords out the window. Zoro leapt for them, only to find his arms and neck encircled by ties. He was jerked back to earth with a pained grunt, arms wrenched painfully behind him. 

**“Trinity Knot!”** Zoro noticed the Marines holding the spy both had those dopey, embarrassed grins on their faces again. So did the spy, for that matter.

“Uh, partner?” Seven said somewhere behind him.

“Shut up! I know! Just kill him already!”

“Don’t have to scream! **Lucky Slash!** ”

“If you wanted to hold me, you should have captured my legs,” This close to regaining his swords, he wouldn’t be stopped. Zoro jumped so that Seven only succeeded in cutting the ties holding Zoro, leaving the swordsman free to snatch his blades as they tumbled through the air. As he landed, an immense shadow blotted out the moon above him. Morgan loomed, axe raised high overhead.

* * *

Captain Axe-Hand Morgan could scarcely believe all this. Bounty hunters, thieves, _scum_ , running around his base, trying to tarnish his greatness. Worse, his own men were proving their disloyalty by failing to capture these reprobates, in clear violation of his orders.

His gaze fell on the Pirate Hunter as he caught his swords and turned to face the other swordsman. Morgan had tolerated the man being tied up on the parade grounds. Not out of any concern for his son’s feelings. No, because this wretch needed to learn who this island belonged to. Captain Morgan decided who lived and died here, not some worthless bounty hunter. So he would die first.

Morgan raised the axe, but his attack was cut short by a sharp kick to the base of his neck that drove him to one knee. He groaned and clutched (with his flesh-and-blood hand, he’d learned that lesson before) at the spot as he heard someone land smoothly several feet behind him. He stared daggers at the woman who threw Roronoa his swords, while she met him with a look of contempt. How dare she? Another one who needed executing. His useless son finally dragged himself up from where he’d fallen and rushed over, pointing at her.

“Daddy, she’s the one who pushed me! She can’t treat me like that!”

Helmeppo was sent flying into the wall of the tower with one swat from his father. “Silence worm,” the Marine growled as he turned to face the woman. “She’ll be executed for her transgressions against _my_ greatness. You are nothing.” 

“Oh my,” Robin replied in a bored tone, “how frightening.”

 **“Scene Stealer!”** Disfrazo swiped the pistol of one of the Marines holding her. Before he could react, she lashed out with a roundhouse kick, sending him flying into the Marine on her other side. 

She leveled the pistol at Robin. At the same time, Mister Seven lunged for Zoro. Zoro spun and caught him on all three swords. Seven coughed wetly as he was pinned in the air like a bug for a collection.

**“Crab Grab.”**

Robin avoided the bullet as she rushed the Cipher Pol agent, pulling on the taser glove as she did.

 **“Stage Left!”** Disfrazo rolled out of the way, then popped to her feet and somersaulted towards Robin, bringing one leg down in a vicious kick that scythed through the air. 

**“The Final Curtain!”** The CP5 agent couldn’t help noticing her opponent didn’t seem concerned.

Leaping and spinning simultaneously, Zoro moved to intercept Disfrazo and slammed the still-impaled Baroque Works’ agent down on her head like a hammer on a nail. Both attackers were driven forcefully into the ground.

“An excellent technique, Mister Swordsman. You saved me.”

“Tch, don’t pretend woman,” Zoro shot back as he tried to slow his breathing, trembling in his legs growing worse. He almost stumbled, but kept his footing. “You could have countered that easily. You just set her up for me.”

Robin hummed knowingly, playful smile on her face. “I expect you have a lot of frustration to work off after the last 12 days.”

Morgan’s blood boiled. All these nobodies fighting and talking among themselves, none of them paying him the slightest attention. Him, Captain Axe-Hand Morgan, one of the greatest Marines of all time. His gaze fell on the dark-haired woman. She actually struck him. _Him!_ It couldn’t be tolerated.

Morgan raised his axe again and covered the distance between them in a single stride, letting it fall like a guillotine blade towards her. Expecting the familiar sensation of flesh and bone giving way beneath his might, Morgan was entirely unprepared for his axe to rebound as it struck metal.

Instead of a dead body before him, he found the bounty hunter barring his way with twin blades crossed. Morgan experienced a moment of utter disbelief. This couldn’t be possible. Nothing could defy the strength of Axe-Hand Morgan. He was the Marine who killed Kuro of a Thousand Plans. No worthless bounty hunting swordsman was a match for him.

(A little voice back in his head insists he is outmatched. Reminds him he’d been grievously wounded in the battle against Kuro, all his comrades – friends, no, they were useless weaklings – killed, and how did he manage to win having lost an arm and his lower jaw. He pushes it back into the depths. He won because he was great, unlike the others. Too great to lose even with those injuries. He’ll show this bounty hunter. He’ll burn him away like old newsprint in the flame of Morgan’s greatness.)

The woman stood several feet back, surveying the field like a not particularly interesting painting. Her eyes met Morgan’s, and for the briefest moment he saw something that terrified him deeply. That made him feel small, beyond his ability for self-delusion to brush aside. It said, between the two of them, fighting the Pirate Hunter was getting off easy. Then it was gone again, buried under that air of disinterest as she turned away.

Her voice, however, was still playful as called over her shoulder, “I won’t interfere with your fight, Mister Swordsman.”

Zoro’s smile was fierce and sharp, promising nothing good for Morgan. “You said you’d show me how _great_ you were, right? I hope that wasn’t it.”

The Marine shook off his momentary terror, sneered, and raised his axe overhead again, using all his strength to send it plummeting like a meteor towards the bounty hunter. This time, the blade split the earth, but nothing else. Zoro flowed past it easily, pirouetting as he did, blades following the movement almost lazily. 

**“Spinning Wolf Swords.”**

Blood erupted from multiple slashes across Morgan’s body. The flesh of his arm where the axe attached was severed, the weapon remaining embedded in the ground as he lifted his bloody stump in shock. His eyes rolled back in his head and he fell. First to his knees, then on his face. After a moment, Zoro dropped to his knees as well, hands in the dirt as he finally was forced to acknowledge his body’s warnings that it had nothing to run on.

* * *

Across the parade grounds, Miss Father’s Day surveyed the carnage. Her partner was down, possibly dead. The head Marine was down, along with basically all the others. Whoever the weird lady in the suit was, she was down, too. But the Pirate Hunter looked beat. She only had one tie left after Seven – that idiot – cut three on that last attack. 

_‘But I could at least kill Roronoa. Can’t have people defying Baroque Works.’_

She reached for the tie, but a slim, tanned hand caught her wrist. Turning, she found the woman who threw Roronoa his swords watching her. When had she gotten so close? She looked bored, but the dangerous air she exuded reminded Miss Father’s Day of some of the higher ranked agents she’d met once. And she looked familiar somehow.

“I would prefer,” the woman said, almost pleasantly, “you not harm my partner. He’s been through quite a lot.”

“Besides,” she continued, looking Miss Father’s Day over head to toe, “I’m not sure you can spare the fabric.”

Miss Father’s Day tried to wrench her arm free, gain some distance, but the woman’s grip tightened and a blast of electricity tore through the Baroque Works’ agent. The shock continued for several seconds, and when it ceased, Miss Father’s Day fell to earth, hair smoking and skin charred, barely alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one of my favorite chapters to write. Let's see, so many notes.
> 
> "Maestra" is the feminine form of "master" in Spanish. "Disfrazo" is Spanish for "disguise". As you might guess from her attack names, she's got kind of a theater kid thing going. Drama kid? Something.
> 
> Miss Father's Day uses ties because of the cliche about kids getting dad ties on Father's Day. That's it, that's the reason. Look, it makes at least as much sense as the version they gave us in the anime being a frog-themed sniper.
> 
> It was extremely important to me Zoro not be entirely freed from the post until after Helmeppo orders him killed. That way Zoro has still kept his word - not his fault Seven cut those ropes - and Helmeppo officially broke his first.


	30. Get It To-Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin knows where the researcher she's been looking for is. She's dying to get moving. But first her partner needs looking after.

“Are you OK, Raserei?”

Robin watched Zoro as he rose to his feet unsteadily, one sword jammed into the ground for support. “That’s a question better saved for yourself, Zoro.”

“I’m fine, just a little tired. And hungry. And thirsty.”

“I imagine so,” she replied drily. “Unfortunately, I doubt there are many places in town serving food at this time of night, and we should leave sooner rather than later.”

The green-haired man looked around. Some of the Marines were starting to come to, but most were not, and they were all beat to hell. “Yeah, we did kind of kick the shit out of a bunch of Marines.”

“I believe you did most of it, Zoro.”

“Hey, you kicked Morgan in the neck, _and_ shoved his son out a window.” He chuckled. “That was pretty funny, by the way.” 

The pair began collecting handcuffs off the downed Marines. They quickly shackled the two Baroque Works’ agent, although it was largely unnecessary for Mister Seven, as well as Disfrazo. Robin gave serious consideration to simply killing the Cipher Pol agent, but there were enough conscious Marines it would be a bad idea. Unless she wanted to kill all the Marines as well. Robin wasn’t necessarily opposed to that, but it was more attention than she would prefer, and this whole thing had drawn too much already. Zoro would likely object as well, to killing an already defeated foe.

Instead, while Zoro secured Morgan with as many restraints as he could find, Robin found the second-in-command, Lieutenant Ripper. The man was injured, but regained consciousness as she hastily bandaged his wound.

“I believe you should assume command, Lieutenant. Your Captain is clearly corrupt.”

The man nodded, eyes focused on his former superior, sprawled unconscious in the dirt. “I’ll finally be able to report him to the higher ups without fear of him killing us all.”

“I’d also recommend you keep those three under close watch. Two of them are part of a crime syndicate of some sort, and the other has been hidden on your base for some time, intercepting your mail and transmitting it to other parties. Most likely pirates.”

A lie of course, but if she told the truth, the man might let Disfrazo go immediately as a government agent. This way, if Disfrazo tried to say who she was, Ripper would probably think she was lying. At least long enough for Robin and Zoro to get where they needed to go.

Ripper nodded again. “Thank you both. I’m sorry for what happened to your friend. I’ll try to keep you both out of the report. That way there won’t be any problems, since you did technically assault a Marine base.”

“You’ll make certain Helmeppo doesn’t harm Rika or her mother?”

They looked to the Captain’s son. Helmeppo was seated, back pressed so firmly against the tower as if trying to push his way through it. Zoro woke him up with a slap, and now crouched in front of the spoiled brat muttering things neither of them could hear.

(Well, Ripper couldn’t. Robin had an ear on the wall, so she heard Zoro’s promises quite clearly. Her partner could be very creative in his descriptions of the violence he would inflict. Although she wasn’t certain a person’s body held enough intestine to use as Zoro was suggesting.)

Ripper watched the one-sided conversation for a moment longer before replying. “I doubt it’ll be necessary after Roronoa is finished, but yes, we’ll make certain there’s no more of that. Without his father to hide behind, I doubt Helmeppo will get up to much.” 

Ripper pushed himself to his feet painfully. “Men! Get off your butts and get these four prisoners locked up! Then let’s get our wounded treatment!”

The Marines rose and obeyed as swiftly as their aching bodies allowed. Robin and Zoro departed the base, headed back to the docks and away from Shells Town.

“So,” Zoro asked as they walked, “Where to next?” 

His movements were stiff and sluggish. Robin made a note to get him fed as soon as they were safely at sea.

“A tiny island far to the south. If we’re fortunate, it holds what I’m seeking.”

* * *

As it turned out, they didn’t make it back to _Pipit_. They were on their way down the hill when Zoro’s legs informed him they were done. They gave out and Zoro toppled forward. It was only Robin’s quick reflexes that saved him, getting both arms around his torso before he tumbled down the stairs.

“Zoro?” The swordsman could barely discern her voice over the pounding in his head. It was like she’d formed a bunch of hands inside his skull and they were pummeling his brain. He wondered if she could do something like that. Thought the better of mentioning it, in case the idea hadn’t occurred to her.

He tried to raise his head, and the pounding shifted to a spike of pain. His stomach lurched and he turned away from her as his body threw up. There was nothing for it to eject, so he just coughed and strained painfully, until he thought his ribs would crack.

Robin kept a firm hold on him until his convulsions stopped. She watched his hands clench into fists against the steps as he tortuously pushed himself up. He wobbled dangerously, and she didn’t relinquish her grip.

“’M okay, Raserei,” he mumbled. “C’n we go see Rika? Should tell her it’s OK now.”

Robin wondered if Zoro thought he was actually convincing when he said he was OK, but visiting Ririka’s restaurant wasn’t a bad idea.

“Very well Zoro,” she agreed. “We’ll go there before we leave. Just lean on me.”

She lifted his left arm and draped it across her shoulders, as he’d done for her on Papillion Island. She felt a moment of resistance in him, and then more of his weight rested against her.

Slowly but steadily, they continued into the town.

* * *

Robin knocked firmly on the wooden door. Eventually, she saw a light approaching through the window.

Ririka opened the door. “McGeary, I’ve told you I don’t serve breakfast until 6. . . Miss Gespenst.”

She noticed the man standing next to Robin. (Zoro had insisted he could stay upright on his own again. Robin was ready to grab him if he faltered.)

“Mister Roronoa!”

“Good morning Ririka,” Robin began. “I know it’s early, but we’re on our way to our next destination and Zoro wanted to say good-bye to Rika.”

“Of course, come in. She’s not usually up this early, but I’m sure she’ll be glad to see you.”

The woman stood to one side, beckoning them inside. Zoro made it, although his steps were uneven. Robin guided him to a chair, while Ririka rushed upstairs. In just a few minutes, they heard rapid footsteps hurtling downstairs. Rika flew into view, likely having jumped from the last landing rather than take the steps one at a time.

“Mister Zoro!”

The swordsman pushed himself back to his feet and tried to smile. “Hey Rika.”

The child slammed into Zoro’s legs, and Robin placed a hand on his back as he rocked unsteadily.

“Mister Zoro, you’re OK! Did you beat up Helmeppo? Are you in troub – “ The child paused, sniffing. “You smell bad.” Another sniff. “Really bad.”

The swordsman’s ears glowed in the dim lights of the tavern. “Yeah, sorry. They wouldn’t give me baths. I didn’t beat up Helmeppo, but Raserei pushed him out a window.”

The little girl looked up at Robin with stars in her eyes. The archaeologist found it disconcerting to be looked at with such adoration. “That’s true, although Zoro is the one who defeated Captain Morgan.”

“Morgan’s been defeated?” Ririka had caught up to her daughter, and Robin didn’t miss how fear warred with hope in her voice.

“Yes, Lieutenant Ripper has assumed command and Morgan is in a cell. The Lieutenant assured us Helmeppo will be kept in check from now on.”

Even as she watched the tension ease in Ririka’s face, Robin didn’t know if she could believe her own words. The lieutenant hadn’t seemed like a bad man, just weak. She could hope that as long as he was in charge, he would run things fairly.

Some Marines _must_ have consciences. Saul couldn’t have been the only one.

She felt the trembling in Zoro’s body increase. “Ririka, Zoro hasn’t eaten in 12 days, could we order something?”

“Certainly!” Ririka agreed. She ducked into her kitchen and returned a minute later. “It’ll take me a little time to get the stove warm, but here’s some cheese and bread to start.” 

Her nose wrinkled as she approached. 

“If you’d like use our bath, you can.”

Zoro, who was already devouring the food, paused to answer. “Thanks, but we got to get moving, right Raserei?”

“I think we can spare a little time, Zoro. It will give Ririka a chance to make you breakfast, and I can bring you a change of clothes from the ship.”

Robin suspected the ones he had on now might be a lost cause.

* * *

Zoro groaned as he sank into a tub of steaming water. He’d never been one for baths. The shower on _Pipit_ worked fine, and when he’d traveled alone he was fine with dumping a bucket of water over his head and scrubbing with a bar of soap. A few times he just waited for it to rain. 

That said, it was amazing how good this felt. He knew he’d been hurt worse before, but he didn’t remember his body hurting in so many places at once. Beyond that, the feeling of near-weightlessness, of none of his muscles having to keep himself up, was almost indescribable. 

His body was still trying to adjust to his change in circumstances. After all that time with the pressure of the post against his back, it felt almost natural to sink until he rested against the porcelain of the tub. He watched his legs float idly, wiggled his toes experimentally where they stuck out above the water. They felt oddly exposed after being jammed in his boots for so long.

Heck, even his hair felt weird not being pressed down under his bandana. He sank under the water briefly, enjoying the sensation of his green locks floating freely.

His arms rested submerged at his sides. It made the burns on his arms sting, but the relief in his muscles for being able to put them down was worth it. He glanced at his chest. The yellowing bruises stood out starkly in the clear water. His stomach still rumbled, echoing oddly underwater, but the snack at least eased the pain in his skull. 

(He hadn’t meant to just start inhaling food like that, worried he’d throw it up. But once it was in front of him, he hadn’t been able to help himself. Raserei assured him, in that darkly amused tone of hers, that his earlier dry heaves were just his stomach trying to eat itself for lack of better options. 

Zoro would think there were other organs less important his body could have tried eating first. Weren’t appendixes supposed to be useless? He wondered if his body had been trying to eat his brain, too.)

He let his head tilt back and settle on the rim of the tub. It would be so easy to just fall asleep here. Sleep was normally something that came easy to him, even if he rarely slept long, but the last two weeks had been difficult. He couldn’t get into his preferred positions, and without his feet under him, he’d sag until the pain in his shoulders forced him awake. 

Between the warmth, and the gentle sloshing of the water, he felt his eyelids closing and forced them open. He lifted his head from its resting spot, then ducked back under the water, trying to wake himself. He needed to stop being so weak. He was supposed to be tied to that post for a month. It hadn’t even been half that, and he was acting like he needed a vacation.

He was already messing with Raserei’s plans enough taking time for this. He should have just said his farewells to Rika and her mom, and gotten to the ship.

As if summoned by his thoughts, the archaeologist’s voice sounded from the other side of the door. “Zoro, I’ve returned with some clothes. Are you all right? You haven’t fallen asleep and drowned in two feet of water have you?”

“Of course not!” he answered quickly, forcing himself upright to step out of the tub. “Just give me a minute to dry off. And no peeking.” If she saw the bruises, she’d probably make a fuss.

“Now that I know you haven't slipped on the soap and broken your neck I’ll stop immediately.”

“Oi!” Zoro’s head whipped around the room, searching for any of those telltale petals, only to be interrupted by her musical laughter.

“I’m joking, Zoro.” If Robin had done it, it would have been to better gauge his condition and injuries. Mostly.

Zoro briefly considered just throwing the door open and seeing if he could surprise her. It seemed like too much work. Instead he focused on drying himself as quickly as his protesting muscles allowed.

Finished with that, he opened the door a crack and peered out. His partner leaned against the wall, watching the stairs at the far end of the hallway, on guard against an attack even now. She turned her head enough for one eye to make contact with his, and held out the clothes with a smile. He accepted them and closed the door.

"Would you like some help?" she called teasingly. He ignored her.

“Expecting trouble?”

Robin turned back towards the door. “Pardon?”

“You brought me the red shirt. The one you said would hide bloodstains. We gonna have to fight our way out of here?”

“Fufufufu. No, Zoro. It just happened to be the first of your shirts I spied, so I took it.” She didn’t mention she’d been in a hurry because she didn’t want to leave Zoro alone in case the Marines proved untrustworthy.

The door opened and he stepped out. “Well, it fits kinda loose.”

Robin had to agree, although it still looked good on him. “You’ve lost a lot of weight recently. Given time, I’m sure you’ll fill it out again.”

They headed for the stairs. “Hey Raserei, thanks for waiting. I’m sorry for the delay. I know you want to get moving. Maybe we could get Ririka to make the food to go?”

She gave him a soft smile. She did want to set sail, but it felt important to do this first. “It’s alright, Zoro. You deserved some time to recuperate. I don’t think a few hours will make too much difference.”

He nodded. “Still, thank you for sticking around, and for looking after me. I really appreciate it, Raserei.”

His partner nodded, then ducked her head and continued down the stairs. Zoro watched her go, and wondered if he said something wrong. 

For a moment, Raserei looked happy. Then something pained and sad crossed her face like a dark cloud before she turned away.

* * *

“I absolutely could have gone the whole month without food,” Zoro said, cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk, “but damn, it feels good to eat.”

“I can tell,” Robin drawled, deeply amused as her partner crammed still more food into his mouth.

Understanding they were eager to travel (and that it was probably better for Ripper’s report to exclude them if they weren’t there), Ririka made the breakfast to-go, organized in several baskets. Baskets whose contents Zoro was destroying with the kind of vigor he normally reserved for his opponents. 

Robin stocked up the afternoon before, in preparation for a quick departure, but she was glad for the extra supplies since it looked as though the swordsman could have eaten everything they had at the moment.

“Remember to swallow before trying to breathe, Zoro. It would be embarrassing to die of choking after what you just survived.”

Zoro leaned back on his hands and belched, although he at least covered his mouth. He sighed contentedly, staring at the sea in the early morning light with a happy smile on his face.

“So, you think this place is what you’re looking for?”

“It’s definitely the secret facility I heard about years ago. Whether it has the Poneglyph I seek, or any Poneglyph, I don’t know.”

Robin used her powers to examine Disfrazo’s secret quarters in the ceiling while they were securing prisoners, but hadn’t seen anything further of use. She wasn’t surprised. It was likely protocol to either send important information on to the superiors, or destroy it in case of discovery.

(Given how cramped the living space had been, Robin understood why the Cipher Pol agent spent more time than necessary impersonating base personnel. Robin would have wanted to get out and move as well.)

“I’ll need more time to decipher these few dispatches fully, but they appear vague. All I can gather is they haven’t found the secret yet, but they’re exploring other approaches.”

“Could mean a lot of things, couldn’t it?” Zoro grunted. He didn’t sound particularly interested, but turned his attention from the sea to her. 

She nodded. “As I said, the odds are against this being my goal, but –“

“If there’s even a chance, you have to try,” he finished. “How soon will we get there?”

“It will take at least three days, perhaps five.”

Zoro stood up. “I better get back to training,” he moved towards the bow of the ship. “I really slacked off the last few days. I could use your help.”

Robin reached out and caught his arm, taking care to avoid the rope burns she had treated again once they were on-board. “I think you should rest first. At least give your body time to take advantage of the food and water you just gave it.”

He seemed to consider this point for a moment, which Robin counted as a win, then shook his head. “I can’t spare the time. The Marines at a secret base have to be tougher than the ones at a regular base.”

“That’s true, but I wasn’t planning on us kicking in the front door and fighting our way through,” Robin replied. “With just two of us, we should be able to find a quiet way.”

Zoro stood silent again, then nodded. “This is for your dream, so we’ll do it _your_ way. But I’m only resting until mid-day. Otherwise it’s getting in the way of _my_ dream.”

With that said, the swordsman settled himself in on the deck near her chair, which had lately become a common napping spot for him. He was asleep within moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't mentioned it recently, but I do appreciate everyone who's reading, commenting, kudoing, and whatnot. It's nice that other people are actually enjoying this.


	31. Observation and Infiltration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro makes a breakthrough. Robin struggles with herself. And the island she's sought for four years is at hand.

_Thud._

_Plink._

_Thap._

Zoro ended up sleeping until late afternoon. He was rather startled to realize that, and asked Raserei why she didn’t wake him up near mid-day. _‘You looked very comfortable,’_ didn’t really give him much room to snap at her. Instead, he stretched and marched to the front of the ship, asking if she would help him train now. She hadn’t responded, simply formed a hand on the railing in front of him that waved in acknowledgement.

For the moment, Zoro moved through his katas blindfolded, just with Wado to start. He’d add the other two swords later. He’d gone almost two weeks without using his blades. It wasn’t likely he’d forget the feel of them, but it was a good warmup. It cleared his mind, and the flowing movements loosened his muscles, especially his shoulders and back.

As he moved, the archaeologist continued to pelt him with small objects from all angles. She’d even been thoughtful enough to add arms up on the mast, to force him to be aware of what was above him.

Zoro typically tried to focus on his breath as he fought, making it match his movements. Now he tried to ignore it, trusting his body to fall into the proper rhythm while pushing all his senses outward, seeking the next projectile.

_Plink._

He tamped down his growing frustration. If this was easy, everyone would do it. Zoro meant to be the best. Which meant doing things no one else could. Which meant those things must be difficult. Getting frustrated wouldn’t help.

He remembered his sensei trying to tell him about the “breath of the world”. Which granted the ability to cut anything and nothing. He hadn’t really understood it. If he was being honest, he hadn’t been paying attention. Too focused on the notion of cutting steel. But that sort of awareness seemed like what he sought. 

_Splat._

Zoro didn’t even want to know what that woman just tossed at him. He couldn’t seem to find what he needed, couldn’t find her limbs. No matter how hard he tried. At that thought, a recent memory came to the front of his mind. Morgan’s axe falling towards him, and Zoro twisting out of the way, letting his swords move with him. 

It was something he’d been thinking about while tied up, the lesson a swordsmith tried to give him around the time he met Johnny and Yosaku. That his other swords kept breaking because he attacked too hard, gripped too tightly as he swung, put too much strain on them. He found a way around that in that fight, and since then, had hardly broken a single blade. 

It hadn’t progressed any further until Shells Town. With nothing to do under that burning sun but think, he’d focused on anything that took his mind off the heat, his empty stomach, his parched throat. His sensei. Kuina. Wondering how Johnny and Yosaku were doing. He found himself thinking about Raserei, watching the Marines for her, what she was doing, what her real name was, her laugh, her fighting style. It seemed to be about leverage and using her opponent’s strength against them. Letting their momentum run them into her foot, or unbalancing them as they charged at full speed.

_Thud._

Why couldn’t he do the same? Let his opponent’s own force carry them into his blades. He’d tried it against Morgan, and even if that wasn’t much of a challenge – he telegraphed his attacks so much anyone could see them coming – it worked. The amount of strength Zoro put into Spinning Wolf Swords was far less than Demon Cutter or Tiger Trap. It was a counter move, but it worked. And it was about just going with the flow.

He took a deep breath as Wado continued to flow through sets he knew by heart, and let everything go out of focus. He stopped trying to detect anything specific with any of his senses, and just let them perceive whatever was there. 

_Plink._

Waves broke against the prow of _Pipit_ , tiny drops of water misting across his face and chest, shirt sticking lightly to his skin. He felt a few droplets contact Kuina’s sword as it moved. The wood of the deck, a little slick under his boots, but footing still steady. The sun was warm, not unpleasant against his ears and the back of his neck, fall finally beginning to push summer aside. He could hear the sails fluttering overheard, feel the wind that must be moving them. Further back, Raserei turning the page of the code book she’d taken.

There was a bird circling overhead, flying ahead, then dropping back to them. How did he know that? It wasn’t calling. He didn’t hear wings flapping, but he knew it was there. Knew there was something alive up there.

And suddenly, he could feel things all around him. Steady and silent, patient. It felt just like it did when he was fighting some bandit or pirate. When he’d catch a glimpse of Raserei watching him from nearby. Watching everything, alert for a threat she’d have to face, or an opportunity to act.

_Whoosh._

His head tilted of its own accord, and the breeze of something, a peanut maybe, brushed against his cheek at it sailed past to land harmlessly on the deck. He felt something peculiar behind him, that he couldn’t understand, and that confusion distracted him. He willed himself to not lose focus on his surroundings, before remembering he was trying to **not** focus. On cue, the next object struck him in the left shoulder. 

He ignored it, ignored the flash of irritation with himself and relaxed, trying to fall back into the same state as before. The next object came from directly ahead, aimed at his torso. Zoro deflected it with Wado. One dropped from above, her arm letting gravity do the work. He stepped forward and it hit the deck behind him.

There was another peculiar sensation he couldn’t understand, although it made him picture a child’s playful grin for some reason, and then there were two objects coming at him. He hesitated just long enough that, while he deflected one, the other bounced off his side. 

The game continued for several minutes. She threw things more often now, sometimes one, sometimes two or even three at once. Zoro grew steadily more comfortable deflecting them at first, but soon began to struggle. His head pounded, and he was having trouble distinguishing what he felt. It felt like there was something else nearby, watching with intense interest. He couldn’t imagine what it was, and its presence threw him.

He ripped the blindfold off, blinking against the sunlight, trying to concentrate on just what he could see in front of him. One of Raserei’s hands holding a marble, frozen in mid-throw. He grimaced, pinching the bridge of his nose as the sensation faded around him.

“Zoro? Are you all right?” Raserei’s extra limbs vanished as she appeared around the corner, watching him with worried eyes. 

“Yeah,” he said, not really feeling alright, but not wanting to say so. There’s was something in how she was looking at him that bothered him, too. “Just a lot to take in.”

She didn’t look like she believed him, but let it slide. “It would seem congratulations are in order. You found the awareness you sought, Mister Swordsman.”

“Maybe,” he answered, staring absently out at the sea. “Don’t know if it’ll be any good in an actual fight yet. But it’s a start.”

“Then I think you can allow yourself a drink,” she said cheerfully. “I’d be interested in hearing what you did, if you don’t mind explaining it.”

Zoro couldn’t deny that a drink sounded really good right now.

* * *

“So you’ve met other people that could do this?”

The two of them were seated in the combination wheelhouse and galley, enjoying dinner while it drizzled steadily outside. Zoro had drained one bottle of sake immediately, careful not to waste a single drop, but was taking his time with the second. That was all he was allowing himself for now, he said.

“Two that I know of. And they were able to sense me, even though I was not attacking.”

“Then I _can_ push this farther,” Zoro said, grinning in anticipation.

Robin tried to match his smile, and felt guilty when she couldn’t quite manage it. Zoro worked hard to unlock this ability. She should be happy for him, and if it made it easier for him to get around without getting lost, all the better. Instead she felt nervous.

Her ability to spy on people, or to attack them from a distance through her powers had always been a boon. Had saved her life on more than one occasion. When both Garp and Buggy were able to immediately locate her eyes, she was left feeling exposed, vulnerable.

“You OK over there?”

She pushed the doubts down, offered the best smile she could. “I was trying to recall if I noticed anything about them that you could use as a guide in honing your ability. Unfortunately, I was only observing at a distance, and didn’t have the opportunity to ask any questions.”

Zoro shrugged, although his gaze lingered on her face. “That’s fine. If I keep training, I bet it’ll get easier to use. I don’t mind putting in the work, especially now that I know it pays off.”

* * *

The days passed. Zoro continued to train his new sense with his partner’s help. The progress was halting, with it sometimes taking several minutes for Zoro to even activate it. When he could bring it forth, he slowly grew more adept at using it to avoid or deflect her attacks. The amount of time he could use it for increased gradually as well.

The biggest problem was, Zoro kept getting distracted by that mysterious other presence. It seemed to come and go at random, since sometimes he didn’t feel it at all. When it did appear, it never did anything, just observed. Once he thought he felt it directly behind him and spun, sword ready, but there was nothing there. 

Zoro usually took that as a sign it was time to do something else. It wasn’t like he didn’t have plenty of other training to do. He ramped up weight work as much as possible to counter the muscle loss he suffered while tied to that post. And he continued trying to unlock the skills Le Renard used.

Their third day since leaving Shells Town, Raserei actually joined in those exercises. He hadn’t expected that, since he never saw her actually practice fighting, nor had she shown any interest in trying to unlock the awareness Zoro had.

(Zoro figured she didn’t really need it, but also suspected it had more to do with her cautious nature. She’d been extremely skeptical when he explained how he stopped actively trying to find her attacks. That willingness to just let go would be a stumbling block for her if he ever got her to try.)

It was the fifth day, and they were caught in a disagreement. Raserei had been trying focusing almost exclusively on trying to master skywalking. Zoro agreed that would be cool, but thought she should at least try Soru.

“Le Renard had that one down real well, compared to the other,” he argued. “It’s probably easier to learn.”

“I thought you didn’t mind doing things the hard way, Mister Swordsman.”

“I don’t think either of these is exactly gonna be easy,” he retorted. “But if one of them is more of a beginner technique, doesn’t it make sense to start there?”

He watched her try to come up with a good rebuttal. That she even had to try said he was right, and she knew it. Raserei was usually the one advising caution and going step-by-step.

“What’s the real reason you want to focus on the other thing?”

She gestured to their surroundings. “There’s hardly room here to properly practice a skill that involves running. Where as we have abundant space to jump and land.”

“You’re afraid of running off the ship and falling in the water.” He thought he saw a flicker of panic in her eyes, but might have imagined it. “It’s OK if you are. Did you have a bad experience?”

Robin nodded. Zoro still didn’t know about that particular weakness. “A few close calls.” 

(She hadn’t fallen in yet, but she’d almost been thrown on more than one occasion. Had a few ships shot to pieces beneath her.)

“Makes sense.” She was always cautious in the few rough seas they’d encountered, and he remembered her reluctance to swim that day Johnny and Yosaku wanted to play on the beach.

“You know how to tread water, though.” 

She nodded. It still wasn’t a lie. She knew how, it just wouldn’t do her any good.

“Then that’s all you’ve got to do,” he said gently. “Just keep your head above water, and I’ll get you out.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to explain. To tell him the truth, but she hesitated. She guarded her weaknesses carefully. Zoro was different, part of her insisted. He was honorable. If he said he’d come for her, then he would.

 _‘Good idea,’_ the wicked voice inside whispered. _‘While you’re at it, you can tell him who you really are. Who he’s following into a Marine base. Tell him what happened to everyone else you’ve partnered with. Maybe he’ll thank you by throwing you into the sea, rather than try to cut you down._

_Either way, you’ll break him into pieces and cast him aside, won’t you?’_

Zoro was honorable, but would he think she hadn’t been? That hiding her criminal past was a breach of their promise, that Gespenst Raserei and Nico Robin were two different people? 

She heard what he promised to do to Helmeppo after he’d broken his word.

She swallowed the words, and glanced over Zoro’s shoulder.

“I think we may have arrived.”

* * *

Two Marines sat in an observation tower on the slope of a hook-shaped mountain on an otherwise non-descript island. At their altitude, there were still a few stunted trees, twisting their way up from the rocky soil. Not tall enough to obstruct their vision, but enough to keep the post from sticking out too obviously to any observers from the sea.

Not that many people came near here. The island below was dense jungles from the base of the mountain to the coast. There were no villages, the only pier hidden in a small cove. The island sat lonely in a deserted section of the East Blue. It wasn’t near anything, or on the way to or from anything.

So when any vessel showed up, it was a noteworthy event. Even if it was almost always the return of their supply vessel. Today’s visitor, however, was not their familiar frigate.

One Marine peered out through a spyglass, while the other crouched out of sight behind him next to a transponder snail. That Marine waited impatiently.

“Well, what do you see?”

“One guy, sitting on the railing. I think it’s a guy. Got a nice hat. Has one of those big feathers in it and everything.”

“I don’t care about his hat! What’s he doing?”

“Fishing.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s all I see. And nobody else has come out on deck. Doesn’t look like anyone is steering it. Just drifting.”

The Marine at the transponder relayed this information. The snail observed him with a bored, vaguely constipated expression as it spit back orders. 

“Says keep an eye on them. As long as they stay that far out, we leave them be.”

* * *

“Well?”

“There’s certainly one person watching us from a tower. I can’t tell if they’re alone or not from here.”

Zoro sat on the railing, wearing Robin’s cavalier hat to obscure his hair as he fished. Robin knelt behind him, aiming her spyglass at the island from a gap between the swordsman’s arm and his body.

“Can you make an eye that far off?”

Robin concentrated on the tower, and a moment later she could see the interior from its ceiling. She scanned it quickly, then dispersed.

“There’s one other Marine in the tower. They had a Transponder snail, so they’ve doubtlessly reported our presence to someone.”

“Do we need to leave before a ship shows up?”

“They don’t appear too worried about us. If we do need to leave, we will. I don’t suppose you can sense anything?”

The swordsman in question frowned and shook his head. “It’s too far off. I can tell there’s some fish around us, but that’s about it.”

“We’ll continue as we are,” she decided.

* * *

Robin and Zoro continued their surveillance through the afternoon as they drifted. They made no attempt to guide _Pipit_ , letting the current carry them towards the horizon while Zoro played the part of lazy fisherman.

No Marine vessel, or any other ship, came to investigate their presence, although the Marine in the observation tower kept his spyglass trained on them for as long as they were in view. Even once the mountain was between them and the tower, they were left alone, the Marines apparently unwilling to risk revealing themselves to what appeared to be a lone sailor.

(As it turned out, the backside of the island was sheer vertical cliffs, with no safe place to anchor a vessel where it wouldn’t be dashed to bits on the rocks, which likely factored into the response as well.)

Once darkness fell, Robin steered them back to the island, towards a tiny inlet she had spotted on the way past. The sails were drawn in, and they quietly paddled the boat to where it could be anchored. The moon wouldn’t rise until well after midnight, so _Pipit_ would be hidden from view until then at least. Possibly until sunrise if the cloud cover held.

The duo stood at the railing, preparing to leap onto the island. Robin searched as far as she could into the dense canopy, but detected no sign of anyone moving around.

“Zoro, take my hand.”

“Huh?”

“It’s crucial we do this as quickly as possible. We need to stick together.”

She didn’t say, _“you’ll get lost on your own,”_ but the swordsman knew it was implied. He could have argued, but Raserei had been nervous the last few days. He didn’t want to hassle her, so he clasped her right hand with his left. He gave what was meant to be a reassuring squeeze and she spun back to look at him.

“Lead on,” he said, trying to show he’d follow her lead like he promised. She nodded slightly and turned away quickly. 

Zoro thought maybe her nerves were from excitement. This was the place she’d been seeking for years, but it was something more than that. She kept looking like she was going to say something, then changing her mind. He wondered if she thought this really was going to be the place, and she’d just been downplaying it. 

(If she found the stone she was looking for, would she dissolve their partnership? He wasn't the world's greatest swordsman, but he couldn’t deny she’d helped him along. He wasn’t ready for this to end.)

He pushed that aside and focused on their surroundings. Robin heard him unsheathe one sword, but continued forward. His relaxed grip of her hand didn’t change. She briefly considered that Zoro having a weapon free at her back didn’t worry her. Just as he had no qualms letting her lead him through this forest. That he trusted her that much, when she didn’t deserve it.

They picked their way carefully through the thin undergrowth. The darkness that seemed absolute at first began to form into shapes as their eyes adjusted. The canopy above hid the sky from view. They couldn’t find any sign of a trail or footpath that suggested there were regular patrols through the area.

After walking maybe ten minutes, Robin noticed a change in the vegetation. Instead of avoiding vines or the occasional broad-leafed plant as they wound around ancient, enormous trees, they were walking on a bed of soft grass. One that was at least somewhat maintained, as it was barely more than ankle height. The forest opened up, as the trees became spaced more regularly, set in neat rows at regular intervals. They weren’t as large either, the sky visible through multiple gaps in the canopy. Running a hand along their trunks, Robin could tell they were a different species from those growing where they landed.

_‘What could be the purpose behind that?’_

They continued on. With open lanes between the rows, their progress accelerated until they heard a crash. A rectangle of light appeared ahead and to the right. One oddly-shaped figure was momentarily silhouetted against in it, before dashing awkwardly into the shadows. Two larger silhouettes appeared a moment later. Each carrying a light in one hand, a weapon in the other.

The bounty hunters pressed back against a tree as the smaller figure did likewise a few rows away. Its ragged, terrified breathing just audible to them. The pursuers, whose Marine uniforms were identifiable in the glow from inside, stopped where the light from the doorway ended, then swept their lights through the trees as they advanced slowly. It wasn’t long before their prey was illuminated.

The figure was the size of a child, maybe four feet tall, but with long ears, a bushy tail, and long feet. Their eyes widened in terror as the light fell upon them and they turned to run.

“There! Take him!”

The Marine that wasn’t spotlighting the rabbit-human hefted a weapon and fired. The canister exploded before it reached its target, dumping a net over the escapee, who struggled weakly as the two Marines sauntered over.

Zoro glanced at his partner. She was gripping his hand so tightly he heard his bones creaking. It was rare to see her so frightened.

“What is it, Raserei? What’s wrong?” She shook her head in response, unable to speak.

“Led us on a merry chase, twerp,” one Marine said with false cheer. “Should have just stayed put like you were supposed to.”

“Yeah, you messed up the test,” the other chimed in, “but I guess we can still run it here.”

“That’s right,” the first Marine agreed, panning his light through the limbs overhead before reaching up to pull something down. “Just do it the old-fashioned way. Open up!”

Their prisoner began to cry out in protest, but their struggles were weaker. Raserei’s grip grew even tighter. Zoro could feel her pulse racing. He didn’t know what the hell was going on, but after the last few weeks, he had no patience for Marines tormenting someone helpless. He released Raserei’s hand and stalked forward.

“You two.” Both Marines’ heads snapped up as he spoke. “Let him go.”

“Who the hell is this guy? This is a restricted area, bud – urk!” 

Zoro cut him down with one swing. The other Marine started to yell, but was cut off as two hands appeared on either side of his head, one clasped across his mouth. Both hands twisted sharply and he fell dead, a burst of flower petals following him to the ground.

Zoro blinked. He’d never seen Raserei kill someone like that before. His free hand moved unconsciously to his neck, remembering when he’d been at her mercy. He turned to her as she walked up, her eyes scanning their surroundings before she crouched in front of the entrapped figure.

“Hello,” she began softly. “My name is Raserei. We’ll get you out of that net, OK?”

The child – it had to be a kid – nodded mutely. “Zoro, can you remove it, carefully, and tie it around that tree?”

The swordsman complied, and noticed the rabbit-kid looked better immediately, although they stayed wary. The net was heavier than it looked, made of a material Zoro didn’t know. 

“What’s this stuff? And what were they trying to feed the kid?”

For a long moment, Raserei was silent. Which meant she was debating whether to tell him the truth or not. “The net is made of seastone. It neutralizes a Devil Fruit user’s powers.”

That explained why she asked him to remove it. He looked at the net again. He guessed it sort of looked like the color of the sea. On a stormy day, anyway. Raserei picked up the dead Marine’s light and aimed it at the trees around them. 

They were in an orchard. Every tree bearing some kind of fruit. But Zoro kept seeing fruits that were oddly shaped and patterned. Not many, but one every few trees or so. They weren’t like any he’d ever seen. Didn’t even match the other fruits on the same tree. The light dropped to the ground, and she picked up the one the Marines picked. It was an odd one, too.

“What’s up with that fruit?”

“It’s a Devil Fruit,” she responded tightly. Her anger rolled off in waves. “They were going to feed him a Devil Fruit.”

Zoro looked down at the child. His face looked like a child's, but the long ears and cotton ball tail. . . “Doesn’t he already have one? Why does he need two?”

His partner’s voice was cold fury. “He can’t have two. If a Devil Fruit user tries to ingest another Devil Fruit, they die.”

* * *

While Zoro absorbed that information, Robin turned to the child, still seated on the ground, watching them fearfully. She tried her best to put away the killing intent building inside.

“What’s your name?” she asked as gently as she could.

“Peter.”

“Hello Peter, I’m Raserei, and this is Zoro. Could you tell us what’s going on here?”

The child trembled. “They try to give us two. Please miss, where am I?”

“I don’t know if the island has a name, but you’re in the southern part of the East Blue.”

The child looked even more distressed. “East Blue? I’m from the West Blue!”

“How did you get here?”

“My home, our village, got attacked by pirates. The Marines showed up too late. They said they’d help the kids that lost their parents. They put us on a ship and brought us here. They keep trying different ways to give you two.”

“What the fuck?” Zoro muttered. “Why would they want kids to have that power?”

“They don’t,” Robin answered. She raged inside, the Marines’ cruelty almost making her sick. “But if they find a way, they could try it with their Marines, making them even more powerful. Peter, are there many more of you?”

“Only four now, and me. The others are. . . gone. But Mina and Sano were here before me. Will you help them?” 

She noted he didn’t plead. The question was asked timidly, like Peter knew the answer, but still felt he had to try.

Robin knew it was a bad idea. Even if the Marines were used to dealing with children, they were still equipped with weapons to stop Devil Fruit users like herself. Maybe she could get by without her powers, but this could get her alias and Zoro both in the Government’s crosshairs.

But was she really going to let the Marines experiment on these children who were helpless and alone? That would make her another adult that let Peter and the others down, like all the ones who tried to turn her in over the years. She looked up at Zoro. His expression was one of firm resolve. Whatever he said about not caring if people thought him a demon, this wasn’t something he would be willing to overlook.

The same was true of her.

“Yes Peter,” she answered firmly. “We’ll help your friends escape. What can you tell us about this place?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to make sure it's clear, yes Peter ate a Devil Fruit (was forced to eat it, more accurately). He's not a Mink like Carrot.
> 
> So yeah, Zoro's been trying to unlock the ability to sense the breath of the world, and got Haki instead. I probably butchered the hell out of how Observation Haki works, but oh well.
> 
> (I've seen discussion about how the breath of the world and Zoro's Shishi Sonson attack aren't Haki, and I think they usually mean Armament, but I've got this theory about how it could be a form of Observation Haki similar to something that was implied about Spider-Man's spider-sense once, and yeah, nobody wants me to go on about that for 7 paragraphs.)
> 
> Next chapter: A lot of Marines have a really bad day. But they deserve it, so it's OK.


	32. Can't Wait (to Burn It to the Ground)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the East Blue, there's a lonely little island, where Marines use children in experiments.
> 
> Those experiments are about to end. Those Marines are about to die.
> 
> Because the Devil's Child and the Pirate Hunter are on the loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter does have references to child experimentation, and one kid almost (I emphasize "almost") gets experimented on. I don't know if that's something people needed a warning for, but better safe than sorry.

While Zoro dumped the bodies among the exposed roots of a large tree in the wilder part of the jungle, Robin went over the interior of the base with Peter slowly and carefully. The number of Marines and other people he’d seen. What kind of security measures there were. How many ways into the rooms where the children were kept. The boy's answers were incomplete, but with patience, she thought she understood as much as she could.

As it turned out, Peter simply escaped through the door to his cell because the two Marines had been lax. They assumed he was so frightened he wouldn’t move, forgetting that while a child or rabbit might try to stay still and hide sometimes, when that doesn’t work, they’ll flee, and fast.

The facility was set into the base of the mountain, but a few minutes of searching found a ventilation duct, unguarded and far enough from the entrance to be hidden in shadows. The three of them crawled in silently, although Zoro had to tie his swords to his back rather than keeping them at his hip. Even then, it was a tight squeeze for the swordsman. They crept past the cafeteria, the infirmary, the barracks, storage closets all set along a single large hallway.

“Peter, have you ever heard anything about a large stone block with strange writing on it being here?”

The boy was in the middle, with Robin taking point, using her powers to scout ahead. She felt his ears, bent forward in the close confines, wobble as he shook his head.

“No, no one ever mentioned anything like that.”

The words stabbed Robin in the heart. It’s what she feared. Four years spent on a wild goose chase. And even though saving these children would be worthwhile, who knows how many died before she was able to locate this place?

There was nothing she could do about that now. It would just be one more regret, filed next to those for the things she’d done to stay alive over the last twenty years. (Although there’d been significantly fewer the last eighteen months.)

They reached a point where the hall ended in a T-junction when they heard a cry below. Two Marines dragging a boy older than Peter, but still a child, down the hall. The child squirmed one arm free of their grasp and flung it outward. The arm turned into a length of chain and wrapped itself around something in a nearby room.

One of the Marines jabbed the child in the stomach with a truncheon. The arm changed back to flesh and blood immediately as the boy groaned. The Marines resumed dragging him down the hall.

“Where are Smith and Kurosaki with that other kid?” the one with the truncheon snarled.

“They must have let the little rabbit make it to the woods,” the other replied. “They’ll be hunting for hours.”

“Serves the dumbasses right,” the first one grunted. “Just wish it didn’t mean _we_ had to get up.”

“Look at it this way, they’ll be the ones who hear it from the Captain in the morning when he wakes up.”

“That’s Sano,” Peter whispered fearfully as he tried to squeeze past Robin. “They’re taking him to the Doctor. It’s because I got away! I need to-“

Zoro gripped the boy firmly by the scruff of the neck. 

“You need to calm the fuck down,” he whispered. “Getting yourself caught again won’t help. Raserei, do we follow them first?”

Robin’s gaze followed the Marines’ backs. “I’ll do that. Peter, will you guide Zoro to the other children? The two of you can free them.”

Her partner regarded her skeptically. “You sure? Those two have weapons that’ll hurt you.”

“Don’t worry, Zoro. I am not a frightened child.”

“No doubt about that. Just be careful, OK?”

* * *

Peter led Zoro to the cell block. It was a large room, other a dozen cells. Currently only three were occupied. One child, a boy of no more than five, sobbed quietly in one. The other two, both girls, sat silently. The bars of their cells gleamed dully with the same color as the Marines’ weapons. One of the girls had an additional shackle around her ankle.

“Seastone?” Peter nodded, then pointed. 

“The keys are there.” 

The keys lay on a table against the wall across from the cells, where one Marine sat. He was leaning his chair back on two legs, reading a magazine. Occasionally he looked up from it to check on his prisoners.

Checking the duct ahead of them, Zoro couldn’t see any opening closer to where the Marine was. He could cut through and drop in, but that might make a lot of noise. They needed to be quiet, right?

“Peter, I’m going to drop down and knock him out. Stay here until it’s done.”

The boy nodded, eyes wide as he scooted forward so Zoro could access the vent. He pressed on the vent, popping it loose gently, and caught it before it crashed to the floor below. Keeping two swords tied to his back, he gripped the sheathed Wado tightly, then dove through.

He rolled neatly as he hit the floor, lunging as soon as his feet were under him. The Marine didn’t even have time to get the other two chair legs down before Zoro struck him with the heavy metal sheath across the face. The chair clattered onto its side as the Marine went corkscrewing across the room, stopping only when his face collided with the wall.

(The only reason Zoro didn’t cut his skull in half was he figured the kids didn’t need to see that. Although maybe they did. Might do them good to see the bastards hurting them die horribly. Zoro wasn’t sure how it worked for kids. He’d want to do it himself, personally.)

As he reached for the keys, the door to the cell block opened behind him.

“Hey, Tiller, brought you some coffee whether you say you want it or not. You know you’ll be pissing and moaning in a half hour for it any-“

The Marine froze at the sight of his comrade sprawled brokenly on the floor. He dropped the mugs and went for his weapon as Zoro turned. Instead, a furry missile crash-landed on the Marine’s face, scratching and snapping at him with massive incisors.

Zoro rushed after them as the Marine tumbled backwards into the hall, screaming bloody murder. The swordsman hauled Peter off by the scruff of his neck, turning him away as he stomped on the Marine’s neck, breaking it.

Zoro could hear the rush of footsteps coming to investigate. He went back into the cell block, closing the door behind him, and set the nearly hyperventilating Zoan on the table. The boy’s eyes were wild and unfocused, the blood all over his face a grisly sight.

“Shit,” the bounty hunter muttered. “Peter. Peter! Breathe with me.” Zoro willed himself to remain calm, even as he heard the Marines trying to force the door open. Gradually the child’s breathing slowed to match Zoro’s. “Sit here. Don’t move unless I say so. Got it?” 

The child nodded. Zoro didn’t feel reassured. As he grabbed the keys and began unlocking cells, he hoped these other kids could move under their own power. None of them stirred as he swung their cell doors open. Great. He didn't know how to reassure kids.

“We’re getting you out of here. My partner went after – what’s his name? Sano – all of you are my responsibility. But the Marines know we’re here, so it’s a fight. Which means you all need to help each other, got it?”

The two girls, neither past 12, nodded mutely as they rose stiffly to help the younger child and Peter to their feet, following Zoro to the door. The Marines hadn’t broken it down yet. Which meant they were waiting for them to walk out, then they’d shoot them.

Zoro drew his swords and readied himself, trying to relax, sense what was waiting. It didn’t help, just a general feeling of threat. He was too keyed up. He glanced at one of the girls, round face framed by frizzy brown hair.

“Uh-“

“Mina.”

“Mina, need you to pull the door open wide when I say, and flatten against the wall when you do. The rest of you stay next to that wall until I say it’s clear. Got it?”

Nods all around. He readied himself, taking a deep breath as he raised his blades until they were parallel to the ground behind his head.

“Now.” The door was pulled open. His arms swung forward. **“108 Pound Cannon!”**

* * *

Even in the confines of the ventilation system, Robin kept pace with the Marines and their prisoner easily. The Marines were taking their time, trying to get boy to calm down. Given the child clearly knew the fate awaiting him, it’s unsurprising it didn’t work. Robin kept expecting to hear sounds of battle the other direction, but so far there was silence.

It's possible Zoro was actually trying to be quiet. He was capable of it, but it wasn’t his preference. She hoped he hadn’t gotten lost or separated from Peter somehow.

They reached a set of sealed double doors made of steel. The ventilation duct she was in ended as well. Each Marine went to a separate panel and used a key to unlock the door. As they replaced the keys in their back pockets, she deftly pulled them free with a pair of hands, and tossed them to another waiting hand on the ceiling. The door closed firmly, sound echoing through the hall.

Robin placed an eye on one Marine’s back and once inside the room dispersed it, scattering a few on the ceiling to give her an idea of what was there.

The room itself wasn’t large. Against the wall opposite the door, there was a table, Devil Fruits laid out. Some were missing slices, and one was smashed to a pulp. Above it was a blackboard covered in formulas and notations. 

(The “bizarre language” that man’s nephew glimpsed all those years ago, no doubt.)

Another wall held a few filing cabinets. Across the room, a cot with a small table next to it. Holding a mostly untouched meal, grease long since congealed on the plate. In the corner between the cabinets and the blackboard was a large metal cylinder with a valve and a hose.

But the room was dominated by a metal examination table in the center, currently tilted at a 45 degree angle. Shackles for ankles and wrists were present, gleaming dully. 

Next to it sat a man in a lab coat, facing the door. His auburn hair cut short, goatee neatly trimmed. He wore immaculate white gloves and his glasses reflected the light overhead, making it impossible to read his eyes. He leaned forward slightly, forearms resting on his legs, hands folded before his knees, mouth held in a thin line that spoke of intense concentration.

“It is about time.” He paused, peering at them more closely. “This isn’t the one I asked for.”

“Sorry Doctor Ikari. Smith and Kurosaki let the Usagi-Usagi no Mi kid escape into the woods. I guess they’re still looking for him.”

“The point was to see if combining a Paramecium with a pre-existing Zoan through dermal means would work. This is the Kusari-Kusari no Mi, another Paramecium.”

The man didn’t raise his voice, but gripped his knees tightly as he spoke. The Marines broke into a sweat.

“We’re very sorry, Doctor Ikari! I don’t think we have another Zoan at the moment, though!”

Ikari checked his clipboard. “No, we don’t.” He sighed. “I’ll have to try a different experiment tonight.”

He gestured and the Marines dragged Sano over, shackling him in place despite his protests. The doctor ignored them, moving to the table and selecting a Devil Fruit. Green and shaggy. He picked up a syringe and jabbed the fruit, slowly drawing the plunger back, extracting juice steadily. He turned on a transponder snail, and began speaking.

“Test #312: I eventually intend to see if a Logia’s elemental control will enable it to contain another power if introduced intravenously. However, as we have a Paramecium subject tonight, I will attempt the reverse, injecting juice from the Kusa-Kusa no Mi directly into the bloodstream.”

As Doctor Ikari turned towards Sano, an arm appeared from his shoulder, another arm sprouting from it. One grabbed his wrist, the other his forearm just past the elbow. Both joints were twisted in directions they weren’t meant to go. The syringe fell to the floor as Ikari screeched in pain. Both Marines jumped in surprise before rushing to his aid.

As they did, the doors behind them slid open smoothly, Robin waiting. The arms she formed to use the keys dispersed as she strode into the room. Her voice was cold, as a part of her wanted to just kill them now, while another part insisted she wait until they freed the boy from the seastone restraints.

“Release the child now.”

Both Marines raised their seastone truncheons. Or rather, tried to. The first one found a hand grabbing hold of his wrist and forcing him to strike his comrade in the face instead. As the second Marine fell, more arms formed around the first Marine’s neck and back.

**“Ocho Fleur: Clutch.”**

The man could only draw enough air to release a high-pitched, strangled squeal as his head was bent backwards until it was below his ass. There was a sharp crack, and his body spasmed before he went silent entirely. Before his partner could regain his senses, he found two hands encircling his neck and two others wrenching his arms painfully behind his back.

“Release the child. _Now._ ”

“I need an arm for that!” the man cried out. Yet another arm formed from his leg, picking up his dead friend’s truncheon by the handle. It swung sharply into his other knee. The bone shattered and the man screamed.

“I wasn’t lying!”

Robin’s voice held no pity. “I know. I don’t want you getting any ideas that involve moving quickly. Now get up and do what I said.”

Whimpering, one arm freed, the Marine hauled himself up by grasping the table. He unshackled Sano’s right wrist, then right ankle. He continued to whimper in pain as he began to drag himself to the other side of the table.

Robin just had time to register a red blur hurtling towards her before two enormous feet kicked out. She sidestepped but the legs extended and long claws tore at her side, leaving gouges below her ribs. The limbs holding the Marine dispersed in the moment of confusion.

Bouncing in front of her was a large red kangaroo, wearing a pair of glasses and white gloves, plus a lab coat.

“Nico Robin,” Doctor Ikari spoke in a disinterested tone. “How very nice to make your acquaintance.”

* * *

Zoro blocked three attacks simultaneously, but found himself sliding backwards under their force. He pushed his boots harder against the floor and shoved back, creating some distance.

He’d been right. The Marines at this secret base were definitely a step up from the ones in Shells Town. Maybe a whole flight of stairs. He hadn’t hit nearly as many of them with the 108 Pound Cannon as he’d hoped. Several had enough sense to take cover when the door opened.

On top of that, his movements were constrained. He couldn’t afford to get too far from the door, or one of the Marines might slip past him and reach the kids. Granted, the hallway meant they couldn’t surround him, either, but Zoro preferred to be on offense. Make his opponent react to him. At the moment, it was the other way around.

He’d taken a few hits, nothing serious. The Marines were in each others way, making it hard to use guns, and they all seemed to have clubs and blunt weapons instead of blades. Unfortunately, this seastone stuff was tough. He couldn’t cut it at all, and could tell blocking all these hits was taking its toll on his swords.

The Marines surged forward again, and Zoro met them head on. **“Bull Charge!”**

The swordsman put all the speed he could behind his attack, adding the momentum to his rapid-fire thrusts. The first three Marines screamed as wounds bloomed over their bodies and faces. Zoro could feel his swords piercing all the way through. It didn’t bother him. In fact, he felt a vicious satisfaction. If they wanted these powers so badly, they should play guinea pig themselves. Instead, these fuckers were using kids. He wasn’t going to hold back.

He stepped back, readying his swords as the next group of foes moved forward. This wasn’t a large base. They had to be running out of guys.

Around the corner, two Marines reached the same conclusion.

“We’re all about to get killed here. I think one of us needs to go wake the Captain.” He paused as he heard another of his squadmates cry out. “You go.”

The other Marine shook his head violently. “I’m not waking him up! I’ll stay here and fight the bounty hunter! You go.”

“No, you!”

“You!”

A third Marine about to join the battle turned and screamed. “One of you assholes go already!”

“No need to get huffy about it.”

“I know, right? We’re going already.”

* * *

“So you’re a Devil Fruit user as well, Doctor,” Robin said as she rose. “Perhaps you should experiment on yourself.”

Ikari didn’t react to the jab. “I intend to. Once I know how to make it work. I wonder if the Marines will let me keep you as a test subject.”

He bounded towards her and Robin formed limbs on his body, intending to restrain and then shatter his legs and uninjured arm. The doctor quickly spun in mid-air, swiping at her with his tail. The unexpected move struck home on her already injured side and sent Robin across the room, crashing on top of the cot. The bed gave way under the impact.

As she tried to catch her breath, he leapt forward, uninjured arm raised in front of him.

 **“Roo Boxing.”** He unleashed a series of sharp jabs, which Robin was able to weave and dodge through.

 **“Dos Fleur: Twist.”** Arms formed from Ikagi’s shoulder, halting the punches, then dislocating it. 

Undeterred, the man leaned back on his tail and kicked out with both feet again. This time, Robin was prepared, as two of her legs appeared from the floor and kicked up into Ikagi’s. This overbalanced the scientist, toppling him onto his back.

“Quatro Fleur –“ Robin’s attack was cut off by a powerful stream of water which slammed into her and pushed her into the wall. She felt her strength fade as the spray of seawater from the tank in the corner continued, the Marine unrelenting.

“How do you like that, you murdering bitch? Break my leg?! I’ll fucking drown your ass, Devil’s Child!”

“Porfiry, you are getting seawater on me.”

The words were spoken in the same dispassionate monotone as everything else Ikari said, but it brought the Marine to his senses immediately. He quickly closed the valve, water slowing to a trickle before ceasing entirely.

Robin gathered herself. She didn’t move, other than surreptitiously reaching into her jacket pocket with one hand. She waited as Ikari observed her calmly, bobbing on the balls of his enormous feet while staying beyond the edge of the puddle of seawater.

“Irritating. Porfiry, get over here with your truncheon.”

“Doctor, my leg is broken.”

“Much more than that will be broken if we don’t subdue her before she recovers.”

The Marine began dragging himself to his weapon on the floor. Robin weighed her options, trying to gauge her strength. She wasn’t immersed in the seawater, but was thoroughly soaked. She could feel it pulling her strength away, a little at a time. Ikari’s guard was up even now. He might drop it once Porfiry “subdued” her, but she wouldn’t be in any condition to capitalize by then. The Marine clearly wanted more revenge and would break as many of her limbs as he was allowed.

As Porfiry reached stepped into the puddle, Robin made a clumsy lunge at Ikari, right hand with the palm taser extended. The doctor leapt away easily, landing close to the operating table as Robin crashed to the floor where he’d been moments earlier. The Marine started to alter course, but it was too late. 

Robin slammed the taser into the puddle. The Marine’s head jerked back as he screamed, the current arcing across his open mouth. She raised her hand, and the Marine collapsed, truncheon rolling across the floor near her.

“Clever,” Ikari remarked, like he was discussing a chess game. “I wonder how you intend to trick me into the same mistake.”

Robin rose, feeling a little stronger away from the puddle. She held the seastone club in her hand. “Who says I need to?”

She hurled it at him, and he hopped away easily. His glasses slid down his snout, look reminiscent of a disappointed schoolmaster. It was replaced by surprise an instant later, as a tide of seawater slammed into his back, one of her limbs turning the valve, another aiming the hose. The doctor didn’t have time to leap away or defend himself. 

The flow ended after a few seconds, tank empty. It had done its job. Ikari lay in human form, sputtering and unable to rise with a dislocated shoulder and elbow.

He stared at her as she approached. He could read his fate, and wouldn’t plead. He did want information, though.

“Why are you here? This will only alert the Marines to your presence in this sea.”

Robin’s face was a mask. Tempted to tell him nothing, but that slim possibility something lay hidden here, something Peter wouldn’t know of, couldn’t be ignored. “I received word of a researcher with notes full of strange symbols being picked up by a Marine ship and going somewhere unknown.”

Ikari was quick on the uptake. “You thought I’d been dispatched to study a Poneglyph. While I would be curious to know if the Ancients had any insights into Devil Fruits, no, that’s not an area I’m familiar with.” 

His eyes might have almost held pity. “You’ve revealed your presence for nothing.”

Robin silenced the frightened part of her mind that agreed. “Is what you’ve done here not reason enough?”

Before he could respond or recover, she reached down and broke his neck. She paused to catch her breath, then approached the boy still strapped to the table. She eyed the seastone restraints warily, but the child was clearly too weakened to use his free hand to release himself.

She found the fork from Ikari’s forgotten meal and levered the cotter pin from the lock around his wrist, then did the same with the one around his ankle. She tossed it aside as the boy slid limply down the table into her arms. He looked torn between sobbing and trying to escape her grasp.

“Hello,” she spoke softly, as reassuring as she could manage. “You’re Sano, correct? Peter sent me to find you.”

Sano’s brown eyes widened at the mention of the other boy, but then grew panicked. “We have to get the others!”

“My friend is helping Peter with that,” she soothed. “We’ll go find them now, alright?”

Noticing he was barefoot, Robin carried Sano past the water (and Ikari’s corpse) and out through the double doors. They met Zoro, Peter, and three other children immediately. The children looked scared, huddled together, eyes darting everywhere. The swordsman sported a few bruises, the swords in his hands bloody and worse for wear, but was otherwise fine. He took in her appearance fully, one eyebrow rising until it vanished beneath his bandanna.

“You look like a drowned rat, woman. What the hell happened?”

“Nothing too serious. You look as though someone tried to tenderize your flanks for cooking. Have the Marines turned to cannibalism?”

The emerald-haired man snorted in amusement. “Nothing serious like that. This is all the kids. Any sign of the glyph thing?”

She shook her head, trying not to let the disappointment show. “I think we can leave.”

They made their way back to the main passage that lead out of the base. As they turned the corner, a trio of Marines stood in the way.

Well, one of them stood in the way. A good head taller than Robin, with musculature twice that of Zoro’s, and tan colored hair in a mess of short spikes. He wore no shirt, instead his long Marine overcoat hung loosely over broad shoulders. In each hand, he held one of the other Marines by the throat. He was surprised at first, then grinned excitedly and set the Marines down gently. He reached into the pockets of his coat, bringing out a pair of knuckle dusters as he shrugged the garment off him, revealing some armor plates over his arms, legs, and shoulders. He looked to the unconscious Marines on either side of him.

“You guys were right. We really are under attack! I thought you woke me up for nothing. Sorry.” 

He turned his attention to the bounty hunters and children in front of him. 

“My name’s Captain Beatty. I certainly hope you criminal scum can make it worth waking me from my nap.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I create a knockoff version of Gendo Ikari, simply so I could then brutally kill him? Yes, yes I did. It's been 15 years since I watched Evangelion, and Gendo is still one of my most hated characters ever. Kind of wish I hadn't wasted the Kangaroo-Kangaroo Fruit on him, but he's dead, so I can put it back in circulation later.
> 
> I write all the high-ranking Marines as monsters, and all the rank-and-file as morons. Which seems pretty accurate to One Piece.
> 
> Usagi is "rabbit", Kusari is "chain", Kusa is "grass". I am curious about if you could juice a Devil Fruit, drink it, and get the powers, or if you have to take a bite.


	33. What's In a Name?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was no Poneglyph on the island, just a few scared kids and a lot of now-dead Marines. It's time to leave, but there's still one Marine left to get through.
> 
> It's not gonna be easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's November 11th, which I understand is Zoro's birthday. I'm not sure he's going to appreciate the present I gave him.
> 
> (For the record, in-story it's still early October.)

**“Demon Cutter!”**

Zoro attacked first. At least, he _started_ his attack first. Before he could swing his swords, the Marine vanished from sight, closing the distance between them instantly, and slammed one fist into the swordsman’s chest.

**“Bone Crusher.”**

Zoro gasped as his sternum buckled under the impact. He felt ribs crack as he flew down the hall, bouncing on the floor once before crashing into the wall of the junction. Wado fell from his mouth, clattering against the floor. Beatty straightened up, eyes widened in surprise as Zoro struggled to rise.

“The Pirate Hunter, right? I thought you’d be a little tougher.”

Robin raised her arms, twins appearing on the Captain’s body. The Captain slammed the knuckle dusters together. The shockwave knocked the children down and pushed Robin back a few feet, even as the sound stabbed into her ears, disrupting her concentration.

Beatty pressed the advantage, leaping towards her with one arm cocked back. Robin bloomed arms all over his body, and the Marine reacted instantly, even as his fist moved forward.

 _“Tekkai.”_ Robin cursed as she felt his body stiffen, knew she wouldn’t be able to harm him, but consoled herself that he couldn’t strike at her, either.

Except he was already moving, so he didn’t stop, and neither did his punch. Caught flat-footed, Robin had just enough time to bloom a few extra hands between them before the hit landed. The limbs she bloomed dissipated on contact with his seastone weapons, but blunted the force of his swing just enough it didn’t shatter the bones in her hands. She staggered under the impact, resisting the urge to cradle her hands defensively as she tried to stay between him and the children. 

“Yes, I can continue a movement I already started after I use Tekkai. Guess you weren’t expecting that, huh?” 

The Marine’s tone wasn’t mocking, just matter-of-fact. A little disappointed. Robin watched him prepare to attack, unsure if she could defend herself in the next few seconds. Zoro flew past, bringing twin blades down. Beatty stepped back and Zoro’s swords struck the floor. The Captain closed instantly and landed a heavy blow to the side of Zoro’s head. The swordsman grunted and slid across the floor, coming to a halt against another wall.

The Marine watched him for a moment, then looked down at the sound of a gauntlet striking the floor. Twin lines of blood ran down the beefy forearm where Zoro cut almost to the bone when he cut the straps securing the armor. Beatty whistled, impressed. 

“Maybe you do live up to your rep.” He turned his attention back to Robin, crouched in a defensive posture.

“Nico Robin. Can’t say I expected to run into the Demon of Ohara on this assignment.”

“What?” The question came from the groggy swordsman as he picked himself up again. Beatty divided his attention between the two of them.

“Does she prefer “The Devil’s Child?” At the look of incomprehension on her partner’s face, the Marine chuckled. “You didn’t know? This woman has been hunted by the Marines for 20 years! Worked for half the pirate crews in the West Blue! Body count higher than typhoid! She wiped out six ships worth of Marines all by her lonesome when she was younger than some of these kids!”

As Zoro stared, stunned, Robin felt her heart sink into her boots. She’d known she would have to tell Zoro who she really was eventually, even as she kept putting it off. She hadn’t wanted it to happen this way, Zoro hearing the Marines’ lies. Thinking she played him for a fool all this time.

Zoro’s mind whirled dizzily, although maybe that was just a concussion. Raserei, no, _Robin_ , told him everyone was after her because of what she could learn from those Poneglyphs. Made it sound like she was being hunted by criminals. He’d known she wasn’t telling him everything, but he hadn’t expected this. Now this Marine tells him she’s some famous criminal, wanted for mass slaughter. The way she'd never accompany him into the Marine bases to drop off bounties made more sense now.

Robin lunged, palm extended, furious at the Marines for taking even this away from her, but had to narrowly dodge a kick aimed at her ribs. It whistled past her stomach, and she found herself on the defensive. Beatty’s fists moved with speed and precision, Robin dodging narrowly. He pursued her around the corridor, strikes frequently grazing her, seastone draining her slowly.

He was toying with her, he realized. Wearing her down a little at a time, giving her no chance to counter. She ducked one strike, but it hit the wall with enough force to send shrapnel everywhere. A piece cut her above one eye, blinding her momentarily.

She staggered back, creating limbs to buy herself some room, but Beatty simply swatted at the desperation move with his knuckle dusters before she could bind or cripple him, weakening her further. He was closing in when a blast of wind barreled between them, forcing Beatty to stop short. Robin dove for cover as more shrapnel flew past, stabbing into her. 

Both fighters turned to see Zoro back on his feet, three blades at the ready. He ignored Robin entirely, lunging at the Marine, swords in his hands blocked by the remaining gauntlet. His eyes bored into the Marine’s, who looked back calmly.

“You’re going to defend her? She’s a monster.”

Zoro snarled as he strained against his opponent. 

The Captain shrugged, pushing Zoro away easily. Then he attacked. Zoro’s swords rang dangerously under the impacts he could actually block. The others landed solidly, sending spikes of pain through his chest and arms.

Zoro narrowed his eyes. This wasn’t good. The guy was strong, and fast. Faster than Le Renard. Couldn’t cut through the guy’s armor. Zoro thought he had him with the 72 Pound Cannon, but the Marine stopped on a dime to avoid it. He reached out with the other sense, and it responded.

**“Spinning Wolf Swords.”**

Zoro sidestepped the sharp right jab, twisting as he did to bring his left sword up in a slash. Beatty abruptly bent the extended arm and rammed his elbow into Zoro’s face, sending him staggering back.

The Marine raised another fist, but found three arms restraining his. Beatty calmly used Soru to go backwards, crashing into Robin and slamming her into the wall. He stepped away as she slid from the crater to the floor. Zoro charged again, and was promptly punted in the chest with one heavy boot.

The swordsman felt the ribs that hadn’t cracked do so, and the ones that had broke as he crashed into the ceiling before falling back to the floor. Dazed, he saw the Marine turning back towards her.

_‘Get up. Move. Don't lose to this asshole.’_

Before he could, two arms appeared on the Marine’s head, clapped down over both ears simultaneously, then dispersed. Beatty groaned and clutched at his head. Seizing the chance, Zoro attacked.

**“Crab Grab.”**

_“Tekkai.”_ Two swords scraped against the Marine’s body, still pinning him but not puncturing the skin, while the third pierced his pecs. This time it was the Marine hurled into the ceiling. As he started to fall, four arms grabbed his ankles.

**“Quatro Fleur: Flail.”**

The arms swung Beatty around wildly, slamming his head into the ceiling and closest wall repeatedly, never giving him the chance to gather himself and strike. Finally, they let him go, suspended momentarily in mid-air, before a pair of legs appeared and struck him in the kidneys to drive him into the floor. He was able to land on his feet, although the ground crumpled under the impact. As he tried to stand, more arms appeared, but their attempts to break him into pieces were halted with a muffled “Tekkai.”

Robin rose, eyes locked on the downed Captain as she spoke. She could feel the Marine testing her hold on him. She tried to keep the pressure up, ready for any moment he dropped his protection to move. “Children, head for the door. We should leave quickly.”

The children obeyed, eyes wide and frightened as they crept by on the far side of the hall. Zoro and Robin stayed put until all of them were past, then began to back up. 

“Can you keep him like that?” Zoro asked, eyes locked on the Marine. He hadn’t looked at her since the Marine used her true name.

“Not long enough for us to get away.” 

The seawater and seastone took their toll, and he seemed able to lower his Tekkai from selected body parts. Any place she wasn’t threatening, Beatty was trying to move, testing her strength. Forcing her to create more limbs, wearing her down further.

He was winning, and he knew it.

Zoro grunted. “Then knock it off. This has gotta be finished.”

The Marine cracked his neck as Robin’s limbs vanished. “Well. It was a nice try,” he offered consolingly.

He hurled two truncheons at her that must have belonged to the Marines he’d injured, but Zoro slid in the way and deflected them both. Robin didn’t hesitate, planting one boot on Zoro’s shoulder, and using it to springboard towards Beatty as if planning to tackle him. The Marine started forward, one arm extended, and she twisted in mid-air to avoid the punch, slapping the palm taser against the exposed arm. 

The Captain twitched and thrashed as the current passed through his body. Robin didn’t break contact until the taser was exhausted. She stepped back. He vanished immediately, the smoke drifting off him all he left behind. Robin narrowly dodged a backhand aimed at her face. She didn’t dodge the follow-up kick, his armored shin impacting hard against her hip as she tried to guard. She tumbled back towards the exit, breathing heavily, pain lancing through her.

“Get going.” Zoro stepped between them, two swords held out in front of him at right angles.

“Zoro. . .” He must understand they needed to fight this enemy together? Had she lost his confidence entirely? He just wanted her gone, now that he knew?

“You need to get the kids on the boat and _leave._ ” He didn’t look back. He didn’t know what she was thinking, but he didn’t want to see doubt on her face right now. Didn’t want to feel any doubt of his own when he was supposed to be protecting her.

Robin backed up, slowly at first, eyes moving between Zoro and the Marine. Then she turned and limped into the night.

“You’re gonna try alone?” Beatty asked, conversationally. “Think she’d do the same for you? Every crew she’s been on, she got away. They all died.”

Zoro didn’t respond. The Captain shrugged.

“OK. I don’t mind beating you first. You’re tough. Maybe you’ll buy them enough time to hide in the forest. Hunting her could be fun.”

Zoro prepared. His ultimate attack might not be enough on its own. He tried to calm himself, again reach out with his senses, feel something that would warn him. 

His mind seemed too muddled. By his injuries. By everything that hinged on this next move. The kids he needed to protect. The questions about his partner. He forced it all aside, made it as though nothing else existed. Entirely focused on just winning this fight, this moment. 

_‘Win the fight, or your dream ends. Are you ready for that?’_

And he felt it. The Marine’s relaxed confidence, and how his muscles were tensing and relaxing as he readied himself. This might not be enough. He’d adjusted to Zoro dodging once already. But there was another option.

Beatty used his speed to interrupt Zoro’s first attack. Could Zoro turn that same trick? Le Renard’s move. He knew how it was supposed to work. Practiced it on Papillion, on _Pipit_ , in his mind for days while tied to that post. Those last few days on the way here, he knew he was getting closer. But he hadn’t gotten it to work. Not yet. 

_‘No time like the present. Take another step towards becoming the Greatest, or die.’_

Beatty pounded the knuckle dusters against each other as Zoro began to spin his swords. He lunged. “Here I come. **Bone Crusher!** ”

As the Marine cocked his fist, Zoro stomped the ground ten times as fast as he could. From Captain Beatty’s perspective, Zoro didn’t vanish. The Captain had, after all, seen faster Sorus. But Zoro did close the distance between them faster than Beatty thought him capable of. The Marine was caught in no man’s land, too late to activate Tekkai. He tried to rush his punch, and Zoro tilted his head enough it slipped past harmlessly. 

His swords didn’t.

**“Three Thousand Worlds!”**

The wound erupted across the Marine’s torso and sides as he crashed gracelessly, face first, to the floor. When he did, the top half of his body separated entirely and slid wetly towards the entrance, bloody entrails dragging behind. 

Zoro skidded to a stop, panting, wincing at the pain. First at the fatigue in his legs, then as his injured ribs and chest protested his attempts to take in oxygen he needed.

His body wouldn’t move. He ordered it to, and it refused. He went ahead and dropped on his butt, deciding to focus on inspecting his swords instead. They’d all need some work, a good sharpening and cleaning. He glanced down at himself. He was covered in blood.

He could just wait here a while. At least that Marine wouldn’t get up again. Zoro threw a glance over his shoulder to confirm Beatty wasn’t somehow pulling himself together again. He wasn’t.

Zoro tilted his head back to stare blindly at a dent in the ceiling. He couldn’t tell if that one was from his body or the Marine’s. Ras, no, _Robin_ , her name is Robin, was probably gone with the kids by now. It was almost sunrise. Catch a breather, find the Marine’s dock. Maybe they had a boat he could use.

The hallway was quiet, other than his labored breathing. He was back on his own. That was fine. He operated that way the first couple of years after he left the dojo. He could do it again. Just needed to start moving. 

Which meant getting up. No problem. Any second now.

Just get up. Get on a ship. Strike out alone. Easy.

“Do you need a hand, Mister Roronoa?”

Zoro turned his head to see her standing there, one arm extended. Her tone was casual, but before her eyes darted away from his, he read worry there. Uncertainty.

_‘She came back.’_

“Aren’t you supposed to be gone with the kids?” He ignored the hand, pushed himself to his feet wearily. His legs wobbled, she caught him.

“If I didn’t abandon you in Shells Town, I wasn’t going to now,” she responded firmly, ignoring the way his body tensed when she touched him. Miles away from how he’d leaned on her in Shells Town. “Besides, if you were defeated, I would rather fight the Marine here than in a dark forest while protecting five terrified children.”

He glowered, but let that pass with a mumbled, “Makes sense. What now?”

“The children are gathering as many of the Devil Fruits as they can,” she explained as they exited, “to keep them from Marine hands. I plan to burn the orchard to temporarily destroy the rest, along with this base.”

Zoro wondered what she meant by “temporarily”, but decided to leave it for later as he helped scatter gunpowder and fuel oil they found in the arsenal among the trees and rooms. “And then?”

“We need a place for the children to hide. Possibly ourselves as well. If the Marines know we did this, we will both be outlaws.”

“You have experience with that, though, right?” 

The woman closed her eyes like he’d actually cut her. He didn’t intend it as an insult.

“I do,” she responded. Her voice had gone dull. “I did so by finding places I could be protected. For as long as they lasted, anyway.”

“I might have one.”

* * *

“Hey Trev, wake up.”

The Marine, one of the two who had woken the Captain, groaned as he regained consciousness. He looked up through heavy eyelids at the other. “What is it?”

“Captain Beatty is dead. So is everyone else. The orchard is on fire. So are most of the rooms.”

That would explain the flickering orange light Trev saw everywhere he turned. Good to know. He’d thought it was just brain damage. His head pounded in time with the light. “Shit. What do we do?”

“Find a Transponder. Call for pick-up. Let them know Pirate Hunter Zoro and Nico Robin took the kids and trashed the base.”

“Nico Robin?”

“Yeah, I heard Captain say it was her at one point.”

“Are we sure we want to do that, Aki? They might kill us for letting this happen.”

“If we don’t call, we don’t get off the island until the next supply run. They’re gonna find out either way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Zoro knows her real name now. Happy Birthday!
> 
> As you might guess, Beatty was a Grand Line Captain, not an East Blue Captain. Probably at least equal to that T-Bone guy Zoro took out when they were chasing the Sea Train.


	34. Weather the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're away from the island, children in tow. But Zoro knows who Robin is now, and the reputation she carries. And Robin knows how that story usually ends.
> 
> Zoro's a man of his word, but actions speak louder. Good thing he's also a man of action, then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last year for NaNoWriMo, I put together 22K for this story, plus another 16K each on two other stories I haven't finished yet. This year, I'm just focusing on trying to write three one-offs I had in mind. And the first one is ready as it's going to be, so that'll be going up on the 17th. Meaning Chapter 35 goes up on the 20th.

It had been two hours since they sailed away from the secret base beneath a starless sky, the cloud cover that began near dusk not having broken up yet. Zoro suggested they head for a place called Shimotsuki Village, where he spent most of his childhood. Of course, he had no idea where it was, but Robin had heard of it, as a place of some interesting culture, if nothing tied to the Ancients. It was enough for her to know it lay to the east. 

At the moment, they were heading northeast, trying to use prevailing winds to put as much distance between them and the island as possible, before starting on their true course. It gave them a chance to check the children for injuries and get them fed. To Robin’s surprise, the children were fairly healthy, the one in the worst condition the older girl who had the shackle around her ankle. Yomi was fed the Washi-Washi no Mi, so the bars of the cell wouldn’t have proven much trouble for someone who could make themselves as thin as a sheet of parchment. 

The younger children retired downstairs to sleep in Robin’s cabin. The oldest, Mina and Yomi, sat at the top of the stairs leading below deck, where they could watch the adults and try to shield those sleeping. They were cautious, guarded. Robin didn’t blame them. Given the circumstances caution was understandable. Especially since the children likely sensed the awkward tension between her and Zoro and found it concerning.

 _‘Or perhaps they’re just frightened of **you** ,’_ the voice whispered.

Even with a strong wind at their backs, there was a choking density to the atmosphere on deck, as though the air itself solidified and pressed upon them. Whenever Robin met the swordsman’s eyes, she immediately looked away again. She couldn’t help it. He always seemed to be glaring at her. She didn’t want to believe after all this time he might turn against her, but she wasn’t surprised. People learning her true identity never ended well. 

Already, she rehearsed her farewells for when they reached this island, hoping she would at least be spared having to kill Zoro to save herself. But that foolish, hopeful part of her pleaded she at least _try_ to salvage this.

She could hardly see the point. True, Zoro was not like any of the criminals or pirates she worked with in the past, but that might make it worse. He had always dealt with her fairly and honestly, but it was doubtful he would say the same about her. Those pirates always knew who they were working with, while the swordsman only thought he did. She had lied to him, or at the least withheld the truth. Zoro likely felt he’d been played for a fool, tricked into becoming a criminal by someone whose intentions he believed were honorable. Any explanations she offered now would probably only sound like excuses, or more lies. 

Robin didn’t think, “Technically, I never said I _wasn’t_ being hunted by the Marines as a wanted criminal,” would be very persuasive.

Taking a deep breath, Robin turned from the wheel, leaving the helm to her powers, and approached the swordsman where he sat in the rear of the ship, watching for signs of pursuit. She tried for a light tone.

“Zoro, we should treat your wounds. Those strikes you took to the chest might have caused internal bleeding.”

Zoro grunted what must have been agreement, as he obediently removed his shirt and sat (mostly) patiently while she prodded his chest, listened to his breathing. She kept her eyes away from his face and towards his swords. Up close, anger practically radiated off him. She couldn’t help thinking all he wanted was for her to go away. 

In truth, Zoro was just a little annoyed. OK, really annoyed, and it was bubbling up more every moment, but still, just annoyed. Even if Rase, no, _Robin_ , was using his name, she said it distantly, with the forced politeness she used with people she didn’t like. She wouldn’t meet his gaze either, eyes darting away every time he tried.

Worst of all, she was tense around him again. They needed to talk, but she looked ready to bolt or fight back at a moment’s notice. Which was, now that he thought about it, actually pissing him off.

“Would you look at me?” He tried for gentle, coaxing. As best he could, anyway. 

It didn’t work. Her voice remained flat, clinical, and her gaze stayed down as she replied, “I am looking at you. You definitely have at least three broken ribs.”

He felt his grip slipping, even knowing anger wasn’t the right approach. “I mean, _look me in the eyes._ ”

The wind died entirely as she did, finally. He watched her study his face carefully without really meeting his eyes, flickering over them like they were a trap she was afraid to trigger. The detachment in her voice extended to the flat, guarded glaze of her eyes, her face the same emotionless mask he saw when she hadn’t decided how to approach someone new. Someone she hadn’t decided was a friend or foe yet. 

It was how she looked at him the first evening they met, in that forest years ago.

It hurt, and he felt angry. At that wall she was building back up, at himself for letting it hurt him.

For Robin, she could see anger in his eyes, anger at _her_. Something inside turned bitter, but she pushed it down. She was used to it, could distance herself from it.

“Your eyes look clear. I don’t think you have a concussion. That’s good. I assume you won’t take any medicine for pain?”

Deciding there was nothing further to gain, she rose to leave, and Zoro caught her by the wrist. He meant for her to sit down and let him check her injuries. She’d taken some hits, too, and he could try again to talk to her. He knew he should have asked first, but the way she turned away felt too final. Like it was for good, so he reacted on instinct. 

She wrenched free violently and backed up. Arms raised and crossed in a defensive posture from long-honed reflex. The children slid further down the stairs quietly, bracing for the explosion.

The wind rose in intensity again, stronger than before. White foam appeared at the wave tops. Robin watched Zoro warily, a trapped animal. With that, the swordsman’s patience hit its limit. He shot to his feet, fists clenched – but held away from his swords, some thin thread of control or sense acting there – and stared at her fiercely.

“What the hell is wrong with you?! Will you just talk to me?!”

“What about, Mister Roronoa?” There wasn’t anything playful or warm in how she said it now. A vast frozen gulf of distance opened between them. It only added fuel to his fire.

“You act like I’m your enemy now. Like we haven’t traveled together for almost _two years._ Worked together. Watched each other’s backs.”

Beneath the fury, Robin thought she detected an undercurrent of hurt in his voice. _‘But that only makes him more dangerous.’_

More likely to blame her. More likely to lash out. She saw the younger children were awake and had joined the others in watching the argument. Their wide eyes stared out full of confusion and fear. _Pipit_ rose and fell sharply in increasingly steep waves, the two adults adjusting their stances automatically. 

“We haven’t, though,” she replied flatly. “You traveled with Gespenst Raserei, but she was just an illusion.”

His eyes narrowed, pupils shrinking to dots. “Is that really the line you’re gonna feed me? That absolutely everything was bullshit? You just played me?”

“You heard what the Marine said. I’m a wanted criminal, a demon. I’ve murdered _hundreds_.” She said it almost mockingly. “Why would you think I’m incapable of fooling you?” 

She hated repeating the things the world believed about her, feeling like it only confirmed them. But the sooner she brought this to its inevitable conclusion, the better. She could bury it as one more disappointment and move forward. Alone.

 _“Why would you think I’d take a Marine’s word for anything right now?!”_ Zoro screamed. His head pounded. He felt like he could hardly breathe. He couldn’t grasp how things were falling apart so fast. He wanted her to tell him the stuff the Marine said wasn’t true, or explain why it happened if it was. That’s all. Why couldn’t she get that?

The force behind his statement, the anguish and confusion, knocked Robin back on her heels. Before she could gather her thoughts to answer, the sky responded for her. Lightning illuminated everything, throwing their surroundings in sharp contrast for a split-second. As if a signal flare, the heavens opened. The sails strained at their lines as the wind increased to frightening strength. The ship spun and seesawed wildly under this assault from nature, as Robin realized she’d become so wrapped up in the argument, she’d stopped maintaining her limbs.

“Zoro, bring in the sails while I get the helm under control!” she called as she turned to the wheel. She heard him comply, the two of them falling automatically into familiar patterns, the sound of him fighting to draw in the canvas while the wind tried to steal it away just audible over everything else.

Robin paused, already drenched in the driving rain, to tell the children to stay inside when a wave rose beside _Pipit_ , fell over the deck, and swallowed her up. It carried her easily over the side and into the raging sea. One arm extended over her head as she looked towards the ship. She tried to cry out, but the ocean dumped itself down her throat, swallowing her words and stealing her air, her strength, with practiced efficiency. She thrashed fruitlessly as she sank.

She saw Zoro glance over his shoulder once, then turn back to fighting with the sails. Whatever fight the sea hadn’t stolen from her already faded as she sank. She felt a weariness settle in beyond the draining effects of the lethal substance around her. The dark voice inside told her this was what she’d been looking for all along. She tried to kick anyway, find some way to reach the surface, but her efforts grew weaker as the light dimmed.

_‘I suppose he’s content to let this settle things between us.’_

* * *

Zoro held tight to the ropes, cursing as the wave crashed over the ship. In his peripheral, something dark went over the side. Glancing back, he saw Robin barely above the waves.

_‘Shit, and she can’t swim.’_

The sails were still resisting being drawn in, wind fighting him for every inch he could gain, so the swordsman focused on that task. She said she could tread water, and he’d demonstrated how once before, just to be sure. He only needed a few seconds.

“Mister Zoro, you have to help Miss Robin!”

Peter was barely keeping his feet on the rolling deck as he pulled frantically at Zoro’s leg and pointed towards the sea. The other children were gathered at the railing, eyes darting back and forth between him and the place Robin had been.

 _‘Had been?’_ “I know she went over. I just gotta get these sails down. She can tread water –“

“No she can’t!” Mina shouted. “She just sinks!”

The whole world went silent to Zoro. He could see the storm all around him, the childrens’ mouths moving, but for that terrible moment, there was no sound.

“What.”

“Devil Fruit users sink!” she repeated. “Lauren escaped and reached the sea. She jumped in and went straight to the bottom. She drowned!”

Zoro didn’t remember drawing Wado, just found it in his hand as though called, cutting the ropes. One slash, and the sails were in the wind, whipped out of sight instantly.

 _“Get in the cabin and stay there!”_ Zoro roared. The children scrambled to obey, as frightened of him in that moment as the storm. Zoro hurled his swords into the cabin after them, slammed the door shut, and dove into the sea.

* * *

_‘Shitshitshitshitshitshit.’_

The word repeated endlessly in the swordsman’s mind as he kicked below the waves. The sea was a roiling mess near the top, but grew quieter as he dove.

Unfortunately, it also grew darker, colder, heavier. Zoro swam blindly, salt burning his eyes as he swung his head from side to side desperately for any glimpse of his partner. 

_‘It was only a few seconds. She couldn’t have sunk too far. But the ship was moving all over the place. What if I’m not even close?’_

He couldn’t see her. Couldn’t hear her. All his other senses were useless. He thought about her, sinking alone to her death, while he was fumbling around with a stupid sail.

_‘Damn it Robin, of all the things to keep secret, why this?’_

He thought he knew, wished he didn’t. Pushed the thought away, focused on seeking. Blood pounded in his ears, cold bit at his fingers and exposed forearms. He had to find her. Even if she didn’t believe it anymore, she was supposed to be able to count on him. 

He tried to calm himself, reach out with that other sense. It hadn’t done much good on the island, but he needed it now.

He couldn’t sense anything as he descended into the darkness. Nothing except increasing pressure, the feeling of being in the crushing embrace of some indifferent colossus.

_‘Where are you?’_

His head snapped to one side like he’d been called. A pull that way. Something familiar, tugging at part of him. Weakened, scared, but resigned. Sinking deeper with every second.

The feeling reminded him, awfully enough, of Kuina that last night. As she bared her doubts, the weaknesses inside she was so close to surrendering to. How it made him feel to see her so vulnerable. He had reached out then, in his own way, however clumsy. Now he kicked towards that sensation desperately and in the darkness, somehow, found an arm. Long and thin, just light enough to stand out from the inky black water at this depth.

He clasped the hand, feeling familiar fingers. The calluses from holding pencils and climbing rough surfaces alike. All where he remembered them from the times she took his hand to keep him on course. But the hand didn’t close around his in response like it had in the past. 

He pulled her into his arms and kicked frantically for the surface. The effort was incredible, far beyond what it should have been. On Papillion Island, carrying her had been like carrying a pillow. Now, Robin felt as though she weighed as much as the entire ocean. Like the sea meant to keep her, no matter what. 

Zoro never had many friends. People thought he was strange. If it wasn’t his hair, it was his insistence streets and buildings moved. If it wasn’t those, it was how much he focused on swords and training, or how little he talked, or that he didn’t look friendly. (Never mind all the people who used smiles to conceal cruelty.) 

It usually didn’t bother him. He had his dream, what more did he need? When he became the World’s Greatest, he’d fight alone, so what use were friends? 

But when he found someone he could connect with, care about, they sank hooks deeply in him. Every friend was a private ray of sunlight for Zoro, warming something starved inside. Something his dream alone couldn’t sustain. Something he didn’t even know of until he lost it. 

The universe took the last friend he had without warning, without a chance to save her, or for her to save herself. He wouldn’t let it happen again. Even if she didn’t consider him her friend, she was his. So if Zoro had to fight the sea for Robin’s life, then Roronoa Zoro would fight every damn sea there was.

 _‘Fuck you,’_ he snarled at nothing and everything. In that moment, the entire world was the enemy. He punctuated each word with another powerful kick. _‘You. Can’t. Take. Her.’_

His chest screamed for air, growing tight as it found nothing to feed into his muscles. Broken ribs ached from the effort. He thought he could hear them creaking under his skin with each movement. He couldn’t see the surface, but somewhere ahead he thought he felt that strange presence. He’d always felt it on the ship, so he hoped that’s where it was this time.

Robin hung motionless in his arms, head lolled to one side. But her body was still warmer than the surrounding water, and he could feel a heartbeat where her chest pressed against his. The black spots that flashed and swam before his eyes almost took over entirely as they broke the surface.

He took in the deepest, greediest breath he could, ignoring whatever protest his ribs made, and tried to spot the ship. A moment later _Pipit_ crashed into the back of his skull. 

Zoro saw stars as he slipped below the waves, stunned, arms flailing stupidly. There was the sharp sting of salt in an open wound, and he focused on that pain to keep him awake as he gathered his senses. He’d lost his hold on Robin and she sank again. Zoro grabbed her desperately and forced their heads above water.

In the moments before the waves overtopped him again, he heard a voice. “There! They’re over there!”

He slapped at the water with his free arm, trying to turn towards the sound. Something latched onto him. He followed it and saw Sano with one arm extended into a chain, what had to be his hand shackled around Zoro’s wrist.

It vanished as the next wave covered it. Sano cried in pain as his arm reverted to normal, shrinking to normal length and losing his grip. But it was enough to orient Zoro. He swam towards them. Once there, he submerged briefly, then kicked forcefully, exploding above the surface, handing Robin up to the children. All of them clutched at any part of her they could reach to help as he began to sink back. Between them, they were able to haul her on deck. 

Zoro pushed from below, sinking as he did. He struggled to surface again. His arms dead weight, demanding rest. Invisible anchors sunk into his shoulders, dragging him below, the sea taking revenge for his stealing their prey. He found enough to kick to the surface again and make it on-board.

He gasped like a beached fish as rain pelted him and the sky shook with thunder and lightning, until priorities reasserted themselves. He rolled over, pushing himself to his knees painfully, to check on his partner. 

Robin wasn’t breathing. The children hovered nervously, watching as Zoro worked to revive her.

It only took a few compressions for Robin spit up seawater. Body rising and twisting to cough harshly, more water expelled each time. She fell back limply, a ragdoll with no guiding hand to animate it. Zoro caught the back of her skull with one hand to keep it from impacting the hard wood. He breathed into her mouth, once, twice, then sat back. She coughed, then her chest rose, fell, rose again, falling into rhythm. 

Exhaustion and relief flooded through him, and Zoro’s body tipped forward until his forehead rested against hers. He was so tired, all he could do was sit there, one hand still cupping the back of her head, the other resting against her cheek, watching her breathe. It was steady, if shallow, far quieter than his own harsh rasp, and it meant she was alive. Unconscious, but alive.

A wave crashed over the side and onto his back. A couple of the children whimpered, and Zoro came back to the moment. There were things to do. He lifted Robin and carried her downstairs, ignoring the protests of his limbs, motioning for the children to follow. The children watched from the doorway of her room. 

He grabbed a couple of those huge, fluffy towels she liked to dry her while removing wet clothes as quickly as possible. He spied her pajama pants and a white t-shirt nearby and threw them on her. The shirt was his, and dirty – he must have missed the laundry basket – but it was dry, so who cared. He placed her under the covers on the bed, drawing them up to her chin.

She didn’t stir the entire time beyond continuing to breathe. Zoro figured that was probably best. Given where they left things, she’d draw the worst conclusions to finding him taking her clothes off. He put the pang at that thought aside and turned to the kids, handing them the remaining towels and pulling open the drawers and sea chests they kept clothes in. 

“Use those other towels to dry yourselves off, and borrow any dry clothes you want. _Stay down here_ and keep an eye on her until I tell you it’s safe. Make sure she stays warm, but make sure she doesn’t get a fever, OK?”

The children nodded solemnly as he passed them, headed topside wearily. “I’ll try to keep the boat from sinking until the storm passes.”

* * *

Robin woke slowly to three sensations. One, she felt very warm. Two, she felt incredibly weak. Three, a weight pressed down on her limbs. The last two pieces of information mixed into a surge of panic as she resisted the urge to thrash wildly and tried to collect her thoughts.

_‘I fell overboard. I sank. But I don’t believe I’m dead. At least, this doesn’t correspond to any story about life-after-death I’ve ever read.’_

There were other things she remembered dimly, but they were vague. Cold, all-encompassing, a horrible stillness, a warm hand clutching hers. She set all that aside to focus on her current situation. She was laid out flat, possibly restrained, but not in an uncomfortable position. She could feel whatever she was laying on rise and fall in a gentle pattern she knew meant she was on a ship.

She considered marshaling her powers and breaking free of whatever held her, but even just trying to concentrate on forming extra limbs made her entire body ache with exhaustion. It was bone-deep, maybe even deeper. Marrow-deep. Soul-deep. She reassured herself she couldn’t feel seastone touching her anywhere and changed plans. It would be better to wait until she knew exactly what she was up against. Listening quietly, she heard soft breathing nearby, but no movement. She cautiously cracked open one eye.

She was in _Pipit’s_ cabin, on her bed. The same four white, wooden walls, the one painting of a sunny meadow Yosaku bought as a gift last year hanging up, the low ceiling. The mattress might be lumpy and worn – she should replace it soon, she thought slowly – but it was comfortable and familiar.

She was under her heaviest blanket, a soft blue fleece she bought during her winter in the Geode Islands. On top of it were the children. The youngest boy, Wade, curled up against her left side, between her and Sano, whose back was pressed against the wall, both with their arms across her stomach. Sano’s soft breathing was causing a tuft of Wade’s blonde hair to flutter gently. A turquoise sweater of hers covered them. 

Mina slept sitting up in the corner, head against the wall, legs across Robin’s, Zoro’s golden yellow shirt draped over her like a sheet. Peter was on Robin’s right, laying on her arm, one of his also thrown across her stomach, hugging her tightly. His long ears flickered in his sleep, brushing against her cheek like a caress.

Robin took a deep breath, simply enjoying the sensation of being held without anyone intending harm. It was so rare for her. Maybe they were simply tired and there was only the one bed. Maybe they only felt safe to do so because she had been unconscious. But still, it filled her with a pleasant, soothing warmth. The exhaustion receded from her mind just slightly. She felt at peace as she looked over the sleeping children in the faint light coming down the stairs through the open door. 

She noticed they were all wearing either her or Zoro’s clothes beneath those they were using as covers. For that matter, Robin was sure the shirt she wore felt much too large in the shoulders to be hers. The pajama pants were hers, at least. Glancing at the floor, she saw her clothes in a wet pile, along with a several sets of smaller drab grey pants and shirts.

There were only four children, and no Zoro. Above her, she heard the creak of someone shifting their weight. Gathering her strength, she created a single eye at the helm. Zoro stood at the bridge, feet set firmly a little more than hip width apart, three swords at his side, hands steady on the wheel. His gaze fixed sternly on whatever was in front of him, mouth set in a tight frown, hair moving with the wind. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, dark bruises on his torso stark in the bright light (Robin guessed it was mid-morning.) He looked like something straight out of a painting. A young sailor heading out boldly to face all the challenges the sea might hold. Which was a pretty accurate description of the swordsman.

He noticed the eye then, his own grey orbs widening in surprise. A relieved smile appeared and brightened his entire expression, strain disappearing instantly. Robin felt a rush of heat. Probably just because she was under the blanket, she assured herself. Perfectly understandable, she thought, with all these little space heaters clustered on and around her. Definitely nothing to do with her partner – a handsome swordsman she was now fairly certain hadn’t left her to drown after all – looking genuinely pleased to see signs she was alive and awake. 

She parsed over her last few thoughts and wondered if her mind wasn’t still a little muddled, though. _‘Hopefully I haven’t sustained brain damage.’_

Zoro turned to call to someone above him (Robin could hear the gravelly rumble of his voice from the cabin, but couldn’t make out the words). She lifted her gaze and saw Yomi, stretched out as a sheet, gripping the yardarms firmly to act as a makeshift sail. She could see the girl respond, could hear a soft, high-pitched voice saying something, but couldn’t make it out, either. The effort of creating an ear seemed too much bother. Normally forming one eye was hardly noticeable, but she felt relieved to disperse it. She would check in after a little more sleep.

If she hadn’t been so drowsy, she would have realized that Zoro at the helm meant they were relying on his navigational skills, and she would have risen instantly. Probably better she hadn’t, then. She needed the rest.

* * *

It was late afternoon when Robin woke again. The children weren’t clustered around her this time, and she could hear young, cheerful voices chattering topside. She pushed herself up slowly, body protesting, and was startled by a cry to her right. Peter sat on a sea chest, some large book open in his lap, watching her excitedly.

“You’re awake!” he shouted, before leaning out the door. “Miss Robin’s awake!”

He turned back and slid across the floor to stop next to the bed. 

“We were all really worried. You got washed overboard by this big wave,” he made an arcing gesture with his arm Robin assumed represented the wave. “Mr. Zoro didn’t know you couldn’t swim, but when Mina told him, he cut the sails away – slice! – and dove right in – splash! We were supposed to stay in the cabin, but Yomi said we needed to look for you so we went outside again. We didn’t see him for so long, we thought you were both gone, but then Yomi saw him, and Sano threw his arm to bring him in – whoosh! Clack! But then the ocean hit him, but Mister Zoro swam over, and –“

“Easy Peter,” Mina said, she and the other children joining them. “She just woke up. Are you OK, Miss Robin? We’ve been checking each hour, it didn’t feel like you had a fever.”

“Yes, I think I’m alright.” She was far from 100%, but definitely better than the last time she woke up. “All of you are well?”

“Yomi’s tired from being the sail all morning,” the girl responded. “She’s sleeping on deck, and Mister Zoro’s rowing to keep us moving.” She leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a confidential whisper.

“I don’t think he knows where he’s going.”

Robin nodded as she felt the corners of her mouth rise in familiar amusement. “That’s normal. I should probably get up and make certain he hasn’t put us in the Grand Line somehow.” 

The children left so she could change in privacy. They were still wearing her and Zoro’s clothes, swimming in them really, which limited the options somewhat, but she found a pair of comfortable slacks and a blouse the color of a summer sky. They also left a pitcher of water, which Robin drained greedily. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten since the evening before they snuck onto the island.

Climbing the stairs was more of a challenge than she was used to, legs as unsteady beneath her as the first time she’d been on a ship. She had no prior experience with nearly drowning. Had carefully avoided falling in the sea until now. It only made sense, having no one to pull her out. At least, not until now. 

(As long as she hadn’t ruined things. Either by being who she was, or by deceiving him about it.) 

Reaching the deck, she found Zoro seated in the stern, using the long oars to propel _Pipit_ across the sea, rowing at a slow but steady pace. Robin hadn’t even thought they could be used like that – they normally saved them for maneuvering in shallow water or tight quarters – but Zoro had proven to be quite resourceful. The swordsman was still shirtless and dripping with sweat, skin flushed, even though the weather had cooled significantly from what it was before the storm.

Mina was back at the helm, looking at Zoro incredulously.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course!” he said sharply. The bags beneath his eyes were severe, out of place on him. “Keep us pointed at that cloud.” He glanced in Robin’s direction and nodded in greeting.

“Where are you trying to get us, Zoro?”

“East, like we planned.”

Robin looked around. “That cloud is going southwest, and so are we.” She stepped to the helm and twisted the wheel until the ship was aimed east.

“Are you sure?” he asked dubiously. “It was next to the sun when it rose, and I’ve had us aimed at it all day. Or are you going to tell me the sun doesn’t rise in the east?”

“It certainly does,” impressed he got that much right. “But clouds don’t typically sit in one place. They move with the wind.”

The children giggled, and Zoro scowled. He directed it towards the sky, at the wicked cloud that misled him, rather than her or any of the children. Confident Mina could keep them on the proper heading, Robin approached Zoro, holding out the shirt he’d covered her with. Zoro took it quietly.

“Why are you rowing?”

“Yomi needs a rest, and I wanted us to keep moving,” he explained resuming his rhythm.

“I’ll be ready soon,” the lanky girl called from where she lay on the deck in an exhausted sprawl. Wade was fanning her gently with a washrag.

“No rush, kid,” the swordsman assured her. “So little wind now you’d be wasting your time. Keep resting so if we catch a good breeze, we can take advantage, like you did this morning.”

The girl brightened considerably at his praise. Robin saw her relax a little more as she laid back on the deck. Robin turned back to her partner (was he still?), crouching next to him.

“Zoro, thank you for –“ She paused as her hand landed on his shoulder. He was burning up. She moved her hand to his forehead, which was just as warm.

He shook her hand off, grumbling good-naturedly. “What are you doing, woman?”

“You have a fever, Zoro.”

“Nonsense. You can only get fevers if you drop your guard. That’s why it’s never happened to me. I’m fine.”

“Mister Zoro is cool!” Wade proclaimed proudly as he continued to fan Yomi. “He steered the ship all through the storm! And last night! And this morning! I want to be strong like him!”

Robin smiled reassuringly at the young boy, while processing that she must have been unconscious for over a day. The oldest children were watching Zoro carefully. She didn’t know if they suspected something was wrong, or simply picked up on her concern.

“Perhaps you should rest. It won’t be the worst thing to simply drift for now.”

He shook his head. “If I got us off-course, then I have to make up for lost time. We don’t have enough food for all these kids to be out here for weeks.”

He was right, but still. “Zoro. . .”

“We’re exposed out here, I have to be ready,” he said in a low voice. “We could encounter Marines, or pirates, or another storm. Especially since if someone goes overboard I’m the _only one who can fish them out._ ”

The last he hissed at her with surprising anger, and Robin flinched.

“Why didn’t you tell me you’d sink?” the anger dissipated instantly. “I get it early on, when you weren’t sure about Johnny, Yosaku or me, but by now. . .” 

He met her eyes. The betrayal, she saw stung her.

“When you went over, I thought I had time to get the sails in, because you said you could tread water. Then I turn back again and you’re just gone. I thought I was never gonna find you down there.”

The memory of someone clutching her hand, of being pulled close to them and held tightly, came back. Still faint, but clearer than before, more details. Of hearing the storm all around, but feeling a gentle pressure on her forehead, that hand on her cheek. She knew it, the feel of it, very well. Had taken hold of it to keep its owner from getting lost. Shaken it when promises were made between them.

“Most people I encounter already know that about Devil Fruit users, but it isn’t information I normally volunteer. I don’t like to admit weaknesses.” It was true, but it felt weak to her ears.

“I get that. You’ve been hunted for years. But I made a promise to keep you alive. How am I supposed to do that if I don’t know the ocean can kill you so easily?”

They sat in silence. The children other than Mina had moved to the front of the ship, offering the illusion of privacy. Robin was sure they were still listening. Mina clearly had one ear turned towards them from her spot at the helm. At least Zoro stopped rowing, she noted absently. All his attention on her, eyes watching closely in that intense way he did sometimes.

“Is your name really Nico Robin?” There was no accusation in his voice, only honest curiosity.

“Yes.”

“So should I call you that, or stick with Raserei?” Again no hostility, just an open question.

“Robin is fine when it’s just us. Raserei would be best when others we don’t know are around.”

He nodded, accepting this easily. He looked ready to say more, but his eyes caught movement over her shoulder. The children getting bolder, sneaking closer.

“We need to talk about this later,” he said. “For now, let’s get some food. I’m starving.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course I didn't let them have the big conversation so soon. Glacially Slow Burn tag for the win!
> 
> I spammed the hell out of the italics in that chapter, I know. But I also managed to make myself choke up a little a couple of times in this chapter. Mostly while Zoro was trying to get Robin back to the surface, and her waking up in her bed. I'm a sucker for Robin getting to interact with kids and be soft with them. 
> 
> "Washi" is, apparently, a specific kind of paper made in Japan with local fibers and techniques. Most of the things I looked at suggested either "Ronbun" (which doesn't exactly roll off the tongue), or "Kami" (which I always associate as "God", thanks DBZ, so that felt weird to type), which is why I went with Washi.
> 
> So they're on their way to Zoro's old stomping grounds (perhaps his old getting stomped grounds is more accurate), but next chapter will be about the journey there. Because there's no chance it will be uneventful.


	35. A Week at Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro's actions haven't gone unnoticed. But the two of them are a little busy looking after five children (and each other) as best they can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if this needs a warning exactly, but there's a scene where Robin sort of flashes back to her near-death experience last chapter and it hits her hard. There's also one reference to her having considered suicide in the past in there as well.
> 
> If that is something you feel you'd better skip, it starts at roughly "Robin turned to the sea." and you could pick back up at, "The tears slowed to a trickle."
> 
> In other news, the second unrelated one-shot of the month is ready to go up on the 23rd, so Chapter 36 will go up on the 26th. A special treat for Yank Thanksgiving! (I am also an American, but that was the title of a short Spike fanfic I read years ago about him getting sloshed at an Angel Investigations Thanksgiving party, and I love the term.)

Admiral Sengoku sat at the conference table, drumming his fingers and glaring at the Transponder Snail, waiting for the person on the other end to pick up. Seated at the conference table were his three Admirals.

Finally, a bored voice answered around the sound of rice crackers being crunched. “Yeah? Whatta ya want, Sengoku?”

“What’s the meaning of keeping me waiting, Garp?” Not that Sengoku didn’t know. Garp did it because he could. Because all formal aspects of being Marine, the rank and salutes, didn’t matter a bit to him. And because he enjoyed pissing Sengoku off.

The snail shifted its eye stalks in the approximation of a shrug. “Lost track of time. How are things back at Headquarters?”

“They’re great. The amount of walls we’ve had to repair has dwindled dramatically since a certain idiot went out on assignment.”

“Really? Where’d they send Sakazuki?” The snail grinned smugly, as the Red Dog bit through his cigar in seat next to the Fleet Admiral.

“Shut up and listen Garp. Nico Robin is in the East Blue.”

“Oh?” Garp was still munching on crackers. Sengoku wondered if Garp was at least avoiding spraying crumbs all over his Transponder Snail. Probably not. “That reminds me. I was in Goa Kingdom a few years back and I saw an eye watching me from the underside of a roof! Maybe it was her.”

Sengoku felt his eyebrow twitch. “You didn’t investigate.”

The snail’s eyes tilted again. Another shrug. “I was on vacation. I meant to tell Kuzan when I got back.”

Sengoku glanced at the man, who was asleep, naturally. The Fleet Admiral sighed, and gestured at Kizaru to wake his fellow Admiral up. He intended for him just to nudge the man. Instead Borsalino upended Kuzan’s chair, tumbling him out of it onto the floor.

The laconic officer raised his blindfold and blinked repeatedly as he surveyed the room. “What’s going on?”

“Vice-Admiral Garp is regaling us with the tale of how he failed to rectify your mistake and capture Nico Robin.”

“Oh.” The man pulled his blindfold back down and folded his arms behind his head.

Sengoku ignored this and focused on Garp. One headache-inducing officer at a time was enough. “I’m guessing you didn’t tell him when you got back, though.”

“No.” He was still munching on those crackers. How many did he carry? (Sengoku didn’t have an answer to this after all these years. Garp just always had crackers with him, somehow.)

“And you didn’t go back to check?”

The snail stared at him unblinkingly. “I forgot. You keep me busy on the Grand Line. I hardly ever get back here! And it could have been that red-nosed brat Buggy, you know!”

Sengoku considered whether it would be unseemly to bang his head against the table in front of his subordinates.

Akainu spit out, “And he is also a pirate, a stain on this world, so if he was there you should have apprehended him.”

 _“Stain on this world?‘_ Garp mocked. “Buggy’s a nuisance at best! You’re gonna have a stroke if you don’t learn to relax a little, Sakazuki!”

Perhaps finally noticing his direct superior’s expression reflected in the snail, Garp defended, “Cut me some slack, Sengoku! One of my no-good grandkids had run off, and no one in Foosha would tell me where he went! Right when I was going to turn him into a proper Marine!”

Sengoku had heard this before. His Vice-Admiral complained bitterly for months afterward, promising he wouldn’t let his other grandchild make the same mistake.

Garp continued, voice returning to its previous bored disposition. “Besides, not like Marines are allowed to act in Goa Kingdom, anyway. So how do you know she’s there?”

“She was caught on camera attacking the Station 16 research facility.”

“You mean the one where they use little kids as guinea pigs.” Garp didn’t bother to hide his disgust.

“She took all the Devil Fruits we had stored on the island, Vice-Admiral,” Akainu groused. “Imagine that woman with that kind of power.”

“Why? She can’t use more than one. Who the hell’s she gonna give ‘em to? It was a stupid project anyway. You want a second Devil Fruit so bad, Sakazuki, go right ahead and take a bite of the first one you find.”

“Over two dozen Marines died in the line of duty, Vice-Admiral,” Kizaru said blandly. “I would think that reason enough for you to act.”

Sengoku didn’t fool himself into thinking Borsalino actually cared. The man was as indifferent to the lives of his men as he was the lives of anyone else he encountered. Fine for dealing with pirates, not great for dealing with literally anyone else.

Seeing something in the snail that hinted Garp was about to start an argument, Sengoku cut him off. “Garp. . . just find her and bring her in. She’s traveling with some bounty hunting swordsman. Calls himself the Pirate Hunter.”

More loud chewing. “Can’t.”

All three of the awake admirals blinked. “What?” Sengoku asked, extremely politely he thought, under the circumstances.

“I can’t. You told me, after I escorted the King of Papillion back home, to investigate the Marines that were assisting the uprising, and clean out the corruption. Then use up my vacation time. I found one part of the plot under Nezumi, but now there’s something rotten in Shells Town. I’m headed there to see if it’s connected. And if that ends it, then I’m on vacation for two weeks. Your orders,” he added as Sengoku sputtered.

“Enough,” Akainu growled. He was already standing, his chair burned to nothing minutes ago. “I’ll go and end the threat of the Oharans if Vice-Admiral Garp is too busy for such a task.”

“That’s OK, I’ll handle it, Sakazuki.” Aokiji, still slumped in the corner with his blindfold on, spoke up. “You’re supposed to be on assignment in the New World, right? And like Borsalino said, Nico Robin’s my mistake.”

The man got to his feet, stretching generously. “I’ll get packed and be on my way.”

Sengoku eyed him carefully. It was rare for Aokiji to volunteer for an assignment, and Sengoku had always wondered how an 8-year old escaped someone with Kuzan’s power. Saul had been involved, opposing the destruction of Ohara. He and Aokiji had been friends, once.

But Aokiji also killed Saul. Rather decisively, in fact. The iceman’s expression was unreadable.

The Fleet Admiral acquiesced. Unlike Akainu, Kuzan would keep needless casualties to a minimum. “Alright, fine, get going. I’ll send a message to all branches in the East Blue of her actions and to keep an eye out for her and her partner. And now we have a current photo of her.”

“With a little alteration of the truth, right, Sengoku?” Garp snarked. “Hey Kuzan, look me up when you get here! I’ll introduce you to my other grandson! You can help me with his training! He’s gonna make a great Marine!”

Aokiji excused himself without responding and sauntered off, as did the other two Admirals, and Sengoku turned his attention back to the snail.

“Garp, at least keep an eye open for her. If you find her again, do not let her escape.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” His old friend sounded less lively now. “Did any of the kids survive?”

“The cameras recorded her and the Pirate Hunter getting at least five of them out.”

“You want me to turn them in for execution, too? Or just do it myself?”

Sengoku sighed. Garp could be so frustrating when he decided to play ignorant to how the world worked.

* * *

As it turned out, Zoro’s abject helplessness at directions was as a boon.

The two surviving Marines reported Nico Robin and Roronoa Zoro heading northeast in a sailboat. The nearest Marine bases were north, so once alerted, they dispatched vessels heading southeast to intercept.

(They were told the bounty hunters attacked a prisoner transport to free dangerous criminals, as part of a nefarious scheme to turn the criminals in for their bounties again.)

The Marines were aware of the storm, assumed the ship was caught in it, and would have sailed west to get through it faster. So they altered course to the southwest. In reality, with no sail, _Pipit_ was at the mercy of the storm and carried east for hours. Once out of it, Zoro tried rowing east through the night. Except he actually went north(ish). A passenger liner saw a small craft with no sail at a distance in the moonlight and reported it to the Marines. This forced them to alter course to the northeast, as they thought the boat was trying to avoid detection by drifting with the currents, rather than being (inaccurately) propelled.

Once the sun rose, Zoro was able to aim _Pipit_ at the sun and the cloud nearby. So for a brief span (a few minutes) with Yomi as a sail, they actually were sailing east. Of course, as noted by Robin, the cloud was moving southwest, and so did they for most of the day before Robin woke up and set them in the proper direction. By then, the Marines reached the place they expected their targets to be drifting (southwest of the Gecko Islands) and found. . . nothing.

As far as Robin could tell, a day and a half of sailing had left them just a little east of where they started, still almost five days from their destination at full sail.

All of which is to say, if Robin had only the vaguest notion of where she was at the moment, the Marines had none at all.

* * *

It was the first night after Robin awoke that the full weight of everything that happened came crashing down on her. There simply hadn’t been enough time to think about it before then. Too much to do.

Get them back on course. Look after the children. Look after Zoro. Make plans.

Her mind was going a million miles an hour. They had a sack full of Devil Fruits in the hold. Could they sell them? Would it be better to destroy them, perhaps throw them in the sea? What to do with the children? They couldn’t stay with her and Zoro, assuming she and Zoro were even going to stick together. _Pipit_ wasn’t large enough, and Robin was too big a target. It wouldn’t be safe. The idea of abandoning them made her sick. But where was a safe place?

Zoro still insisted he didn’t have a fever, but let her bandage his injuries again, since the bandages she applied originally were gone. Zoro said the wraps had been soaked from diving in the ocean and the storm. Robin suspected that was just an excuse, but took the opportunity to do what she could to care for him.

Occupied with all this, the moment came as a total surprise. She had gotten all of the children to settle in the bed belowdecks without any fuss, unexpected in itself. They seemed more than satisfied to cram together snugly under the blanket, the youngest bracketed by the oldest. She mentioned it to Zoro as she joined him on deck.

“They’re worn out,” he said, staring at the stars thoughtfully. “They were all pretty stressed worrying about you while you were asleep.”

Robin gathered as much from how excited Peter was, but it still didn’t make sense. “I thought they would be afraid of me, of what I did.”

Zoro scoffed. “I told them you were the only reason we found that base. You saved their lives, and killed the Marines that were killing them. Finding out you’ve killed a bunch of Marines in the past probably makes you seem even more badass. You’re their hero. Of course they freaked when you went over.”

At Robin’s uncomprehending look, the swordsman elaborated. “They were the ones who told me you couldn’t swim at all. They don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Robin turned to the sea. An obsidian tabletop all around, ripples of their passing just visible in the starlight. Seeing the deceptively placid surface, the same one that nearly swallowed her without a trace less than two days ago, she realized just how close she came to dying. It hadn’t really sunk in, not only that it happened, but that she survived.

Robin was no stranger to near-death experiences. They were a recurring theme of her life for almost two decades. But she typically extricated herself from the situation. Alert enough to disappear before a trap was sprung. Strong enough to kill her enemies, fast enough to flee if she couldn’t. Clever enough to talk her way clear if she had the chance. A few times, mostly in the early years, she had simply been lucky.

Not this time. This time, she had been in the grasp of an enemy she was helpless against. None of her skills or wits of any use. The sea claimed her and she had known there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn’t avoid or redirect Death this time.

And then, she wasn’t dead. She could almost have dismissed the first time she awoke – warm and safe in her bed, the children willingly curled protectively around her, Zoro happy to see signs of life – as the final hallucination of a brain starved for oxygen. An imagined glimpse of heaven, perhaps. That she woke up again later, safe and sound, made the entire thing seem like a dream. Easier to believe she hit her head against the railing when the wave struck her and imagined the rest.

Her body trembled violently. No, she remembered the water rushing down her throat, the cold seizing her muscles as her limbs refused to obey, refused to kick or pull her to the surface as the sea dragged her deeper. That final loss of hope when she saw Zoro turn away. The way even the dim light of the surface quickly vanished from sight.

She should be dead. Except the children cared enough to warn Zoro, tell him what she’d been afraid to. And he cared enough to come after her. Hadn’t abandoned her as she thought. Pulled her to the surface. Breathed life back into her. For the first time in 20 years, the first time since Saul, she owed her life entirely to someone else.

“Robin?” Zoro’s voice, hesitant and concerned. Opening her eyes, Robin found she’d fallen to her knees at some point, tears streaming down her face, staining the deck below. She choked back a sob, not wanting to disturb the children, and managed it with long years of practice.

“What’s wrong?” From the corner of her eye, she saw him kneel next to her and lean over, trying to make eye contact. Normally she would turn away until she could mask her feelings, loathe to let someone see her so vulnerable, but she didn’t see the point. Zoro already saw her entirely helpless, too weak to save herself. What did it matter if he saw her reduced to sobbing like a child?

She didn’t know what the swordsman saw. Whatever it was, it made him reach out and encircle her with both arms. Barely touching at first, as if she might shatter or vanish in a burst of petals like one of her conjured limbs. When she didn’t pull away or object, he drew her closer, encouraged her to lean against him. She accepted, resting her head on his shoulder as she clutched at him with both hands, fingers wrapped in tape.

(After she rebandaged his injuries, he insisted on checking hers. Beyond several bruises, Beatty’s punches sprained most of her fingers, broke one. Zoro reset it, bandaged all of them gently.)

He didn’t speak, simply held her. A solid, comforting presence as Robin tried to deal with how close she had been to the end. How, for as often as she’d considered an end to everything, when the moment arrived, she hadn’t been ready. His hands made small, tentative circles on her back as she let it out, shuddering against him, pulling in shaky breaths around sobs she muffled against his body.

The tears slowed to a trickle. Robin knew it was only a small amount of what she carried inside. Pain she buried to avoid leaving herself vulnerable. Because there was no one she could let see that side. Zoro continued to hold her.

“I didn’t,” she mumbled against his shoulder.

“Hmm?”

“The six ships of Marines,” she whispered. “I didn’t do that.”

She didn’t want to relive Saul’s death or Ohara’s destruction, not right now. It was a scar she didn’t think she could handle tearing open. But she wanted Zoro to know that much wasn’t true.

“OK.” She heard no skepticism in his voice, and marveled again that he could extend so much trust to her. "The kid's will still think you're cool."

A broken chuckle escaped as she lifted her head slowly, reluctant to disturb whatever they were sharing. Zoro watched her, concern filling his eyes even in the dim light. She read the question – _Are you OK?_ – and nodded weakly, offered a watery smile she was sure didn’t convince him. His skin still much too warm beneath her hands. She had to look after him, for as long as they still traveled together.

* * *

If it had been close quarters on _Pipit_ with four adults, having two adults and five children made things even more cramped. On a positive note, it kept Zoro from training as much, since he couldn’t swing swords or weights around with so many others on deck. Since he wouldn’t admit to being ill, that was the best Robin could hope for. She was reluctant to press too hard right now, with things again uncertain between them, and the children still adjusting.

(They were gradually becoming more talkative, but they tended to speak in whispers to each other. Shied away from making eye contact with her or Zoro. Asked questions or made requests hesitantly.)

Zoro watched her closely since her breakdown the night before. She hadn’t spoken of it, intent on wrestling her emotions back under control to focus on the problems at hand, and he seemed willing to respect that.

(He seemed restless, even when sleeping. She didn’t know if it was the fever, an attempt to be more alert to protect the children, or something else. He certainly seemed to be trying to remain quiet and calm around the children, the same as her. To avoid startling or frightening them.)

Robin felt bad for the children. There wasn’t much room for them to play or move around. More than their cells at least, small consolation that was. She would have tried anchoring at an uninhabited island, let them run around on a beach for a few hours, but this section of the East Blue seemed particularly empty.

Robin’s powers could entertain Wade. Peter and Sano were eager to help Zoro by acting as additional weights or extra people to throw things at him. Robin didn’t object because the two boys weren’t heavy enough to strain the swordsman, and their cheers of encouragement for Zoro to lift them _‘one more time’_ made her smile.

A few of Robin’s books were ones Yomi or Mina could read, but not exactly suitable subject matter for the younger children. (Yomi preferred the murder mysteries, Mina the bodice-rippers.) But all those things worked for only so long. Other than a deck of cards Johnny and Yosaku left behind, or some blank sheets of paper and pens she had, there wasn’t anything to play with, either.

At least, nothing safe. The wind died in the still afternoon air, but the current was going east. Robin convinced Zoro to let them drift. One more way to get him to rest a little.

(He started coughing shortly before lunch, though he tried to hide it.)

“Mister Zoro, can I try one of your swords?”

“No.” The swordsman rested against the railing, eyes shut, arms folded behind his head, one leg crossed over the other. His swords leaned next to him. At Sano’s question, Zoro took all three and placed them in his lap, wrapping his arms around them.

The boy didn’t take the hint. “Why?”

“Because they’re too heavy for you, and you don’t know what to do with them. You’d hurt yourself, or someone else.”

“I would not!” Sano protested hotly. “I know how to swing a sword!”

Zoro opened one eye, looking at Sano appraisingly. “That a fact?”

The child raised his chin defiantly. “Yeah!”

“OK.” Zoro stood and stretched casually.

“Zoro, please don’t allow any of the children to maim themselves,” Robin called from beneath her umbrella where she and the girls were reading. Wade was curled up in her lap. Robin had been telling him a fairy tale she remembered from childhood, and the boy had drifted asleep.

(It still surprised her to see Zoro was correct. The children felt safe around her, and wanted to stay close.)

Zoro scoffed as he walked downstairs, returning a moment later with a wooden sword. He handed it to Sano, who just stared, confused.

“Go ahead, show me.”

Sano gripped the sword tightly, reared back, and swung it like a bat. Zoro stopped it with one finger, guiding it to a point above Sano’s head.

“Nope. No windup. You’re wasting time and energy, and leaving yourself exposed.” He let his finger fall away. “Swing straight down from where it is now.”

Sano complied. “Again.”

He did. “Again.”

They repeated this until the boy couldn’t lift the sword. Zoro took it back, then picked Sano up with his other arm and carried him to where Robin and the girls sat. He sat the boy in the shade, then brought some water from the galley. The Kusari-Kusari no Mi user drank like he hadn’t seen water in days.

(They were going through fresh water faster than Robin would like, and Zoro was getting less of it than she would prefer. But neither of the adults wanted the children to go without. Robin kept her eyes peeled for any island.)

Sano let the pitcher fall away with a gasp. “You do that a lot?”

“That’d be a warmup, when the woman here isn’t insisting I need to rest.” Zoro sighed exaggeratedly.

“I’m simply trying to keep you from exercising until you pass out, Mister Roronoa,” Robin answered without looking up. “Last time you collapsed on the deck, you nearly concussed yourself.”

“I told you, I slipped on a wet spot!”

“Of course, Zoro.” The kids laughed under their breath, trying to stifle themselves when Zoro looked in their direction with one eyebrow raised. He couldn’t hide the corner of his mouth turning up, though. Robin felt a happy flutter in her chest.

“Why do you have a practice sword anyway Mister Roronoa?” Yomi asked.

He shrugged, gesturing to Robin. “It was for her. When there were four of us, she was the only one who didn’t use a sword. Thought I could teach her a little, but never found the time.”

“Well, my role is information gathering and navigation, Zoro. And I had you to protect me.”

“Yeah,” he snarked, “it’s just a good thing you didn’t try telling me you were immune to sword wounds in addition to being able to swim.”

“As I recall, the only sword wound I sustained was from you.”

Robin froze as the words dropped from her mouth. The children’s eyes widened. Zoro look stunned before his eyes dropped to the deck.

“Guess that’s true.”

Robin scrambled to do damage control, cursing herself. “And that was because of another Devil Fruit user who affected both of us. You made certain no one else ever came close enough to try.”

Zoro’s expression said the guilt lingered. The children exchanged nervous glances in the awkward silence. After another moment, Mina spoke up, trying to change the subject.

“Miss Nico, what’s “décolletage”?”

* * *

Contrary to Zoro’s fear, there didn’t seem to be much risk of the children going into the water. They were all well aware of the danger. They tended to stay in pairs or small groups, older children keeping close eyes on the younger ones.

Which wasn’t the same as no risk. On the third day, Wade had been playing some combination of hopscotch and tag with Peter when he tripped. Robin created limbs to catch him, but he vanished before he landed. A moment later, she heard a cry behind her, then a splash. Turning, she saw ripples in their wake, and heard another splash from the front of the ship. Less than 30 seconds later, Zoro reappeared with Wade tucked under one arm.

“He has the Ritorai-Ritorai no Mi,” Mina explained as Robin dried the sniffling child. “He can go back to somewhere he was before, up to like, ten seconds.”

“Except _Pipit_ wasn’t where it was ten seconds earlier,” Robin guessed. Mina nodded.

On the morning of the fourth day, Yomi climbed the mast, preparing to act as the sail again. She shifted to her paper form, spreading thinner and wider, reaching one elongated arm to the end of the spar. As she was stretched out, but not anchored, a sudden strong gust ripped her away.

Robin was making coffee after another long night. Since they were staying on the open ocean, at least one of the adults was on watch at all times. Robin thought she was used to running on a maximum of three hours’ sleep, but whether it was trying to keep the children entertained, her near-drowning, monitoring Zoro’s condition surreptitiously, or just worrying about what was to come, she felt more groggy than normal. Which is probably why she wasn't watching as Yomi ascended the mast.

The girl’s scream had her bolting out on deck, morning drug forgotten. Zoro had fallen asleep on deck as soon as his watch ended. He awoke with the scream and jumped for Yomi, even trying to kick at the air, to no avail. She was out of reach.

“Yomi, turn back to human!” The girl shook her head. She was already over open water, terrified of falling in. Robin extended a chain of arms in the sky and grabbed her ankle, only to lose control of the arms with a hiss. A cut formed on her hand where the sharp edges sliced it open.

“I’m gonna swim under you, just drop right to me,” Zoro called. Yomi wasn’t listening, still trying to stretch one arm back to the mast.

“Miss Robin, can you push me into the air?” Sano stood next to her, expression too serious for his age. “I won’t get cut.”

 **“Escalator.”** Her hands appeared carried him swiftly into the sky. Once he was close enough, he extended one arm, shifting it to a chain that snapped into place firmly around Yomi’s ankle. More of Robin’s arms grew from those supporting Sano to take a firm hold on him as he was lowered gently to the ground, Yomi towed behind like a kite.

Once back over the ship, she turned to flesh-and-blood, and dropped into Zoro’s arms. The swordsman held her quietly as she tried to calm down.

“That was very quick thinking, Sano,” Robin praised.

The boy smiled, proud, but with something wistful in it. Glad he could help, but probably wishing he never ended up in the circumstance where he gained the power in the first place.

* * *

On the fifth day, drifting again – Yomi was reluctant to climb the mast, and neither of the adults would force her, even if it meant Zoro trying to row again – Robin spied another ship. A three-mast vessel, much larger than _Pipit_. It ran no flag, but had a very distinctive masthead.

“I think it’s the Black Cat Pirates,” Robin explained to Zoro. They stood on the bridge, watching carefully. Its course perpendicular to theirs, heading north, and so far, there was no reaction to their presence.

“With Captain Kuro? I always wanted to fight him. He had all those blades on his gloves.”

“Well, he’s supposed to be dead. Captured and executed by Captain Morgan.”

“Wait, that idiot with the axe hand caught Kuro?”

“Yes, it does seem rather unlikely based on what we saw, doesn’t it? I suppose any pirate can have a bad day.”

“Are we in trouble?” They glanced behind them. The kids were gathered on the deck, fear etched on their faces as they watched the pirate ship.

_‘Kuro wasn’t known for taking prisoners unless it suited his purposes.’_

Robin considered their options. Normally between her and Zoro, this would be easy. But with the children present, they couldn’t attack recklessly and risk leaving them vulnerable. Also, judging by his skin where it brushed against her arm, Zoro’s fever hadn’t broken yet. She’d still coughed up water yesterday. Avoiding a fight was best, safest for the children certainly.

Any hopes they might be able to sail away peacefully vanished with the screeching sound of the first incoming cannonball. Zoro sliced it in half easily.

“Is there enough wind to outrun them?” He asked as he drew his other blades. The Black Cats were moving to a parallel course, which would let them unleash a full broadside on _Pipit._

“Not quickly enough.”

“I can do it Miss Nico, I promise!” Yomi climbed the mast frantically. Fear of capture, or fear of her friends being hurt, outweighed other concerns.

“It’s alright, Yomi. Even with the wind, we won’t outdistance them fast enough. They can use it, too. We’ll have to fight.”

The girl continued shifting, grabbing hold of the spars firmly. “You’ll still need speed to maneuver.”

Robin nodded. The other children cheered Yomi on. “Thank you. Mina, Sano, stay in the cabin. Watch over Peter and Wade. Zoro, intercept as many cannonballs as you can. Once we’re close enough, I’ll try to incapacitate the crew.”

She spun the wheel back and forth, trying to present an erratic target. Zoro moved from one end of the ship to another, cutting the few shots that came close. Finally, Robin felt they were in range. She placed one eye on the pirate ship’s mast, scouting the crew locations.

“ **Cuarenta Fleur: Clutch.** ” Robin felt and heard two dozen men groan and fall in pain, each now with one limb broken or dislocated. The cannons fell silent.

No sign of Kuro, not on deck, at least. Maybe this was what remained of his crew. A rudderless cast of dregs scavenging what they thought was easy prey. Before she could decide her next move, something cut one of her spawned limbs. She clutched her true arm as the eye focused on a man in a trenchcoat and wide-brimmed hat, spinning a chakram on his index finger as he stepped out of a cabin.

“All you weaklings,” he muttered, now swinging the chakram back and forth on a string. “When I count 1, 2, Jango, you will forget your injuries and become wild beasts, ten times stronger than any human! 1, 2, Jango!”

Everyone on _Pipit_ heard inarticulate screams of rage rise from the men who leapt to their feet as if their bones hadn’t just been broken. The children trembled, Yomi nearly reverting to human form at the sound.

“What’s that all about?” Zoro asked.

“This may take slightly longer than I thought. Can you damage their ship?”

“Pfft. What kind of question is that? **108 Pound Cannon!** ” The wind blast hurtled across the sea, slamming into the hull of the pirate ship at the water line, blasting a hole in it.

A voice called out from the enemy ship as it listed dangerously. “What the hell was that? Siam, Butchie, get out here! That ship is trouble!”

“I’m going over to finish this,” Zoro declared. He took a running, Soru-enhanced leap and caught the side of the ship with one sword, then pulled himself on deck. The man with the chakram gawked.

“The Pirate Hunter? Come on you two, get him!” The two in question, one heavyset in suspenders and a cowbell, the other with green hair, wearing page boy shorts and a shirt much too short for him, shook their heads vigorously.

The man in the hat scowled. “I said attack, or else!”

The smaller one ran forward, sobbing hysterically as he flailed his hands with their lengthy claws. Zoro’s eyes narrowed. In his time holding back on physical training the last few days, he focused on honing his new sense, and it said something wasn’t right. He dodged the claws easily and slashed through the pirate’s torso with one sword.

Zoro turned his attention towards the big fellow, but the sense flared, warning him his attack hadn’t struck as true as he first thought. The man had twisted out of the way like a contortionist. Zoro spun and stabbed both swords into the man’s torso. Siam released a bloody gasp in surprise.

“How?”

“I know a woman who’s a much better actor than you.” He withdrew the swords, then decapitated Siam with one swing. This pirate was no honorable foe, he wasn’t giving him a chance like he might have Le Renard.

He heard the big guy shriek in terror, and readied an attack on the hypnotized pirates who were trying to decide whether to attack him or _Pipit_.

Trenchcoat snapped, “Butchie, pay attention! You’re without fear and stronger than ever! 1, 2, Jango!”

Zoro turned back just in time to block the big guy’s charge. Even so, he was driven through the railing and over the side, both of them crashing onto _Pipit’s_ deck. The air rushed from Zoro’s lungs at the impact in a harsh, bloody cough. The big guy didn’t even flinch as Zoro’s blood spattered across his face.

The children screamed and scattered. Above them, he heard Trenchcoat yelling, “Get down there and kill them all, you idiots!”

 **“Ochenta Fleur: Twist.”** This time, rather than break arms and legs, Robin broke necks and backs. Even if the pirates’ brains were convinced to ignore signals from their bodies, it didn’t matter if those bodies couldn’t receive commands.

Zoro was flat on his back, straining as Butchie bore down with all his mass and strength, aided by gravity. Mina was shouting and waving at the pirate, the Iro-Iro no Mi user trying to make herself the brightest colors possible as a distraction, to no avail.

“Mister Zoro!” The swordsman glanced behind him and saw Sano reaching one arm back like he was going to throw a punch.

“Sano, don’t!” Too late, the boy’s arm extended, each finger turning into a small chain that wrapped around the Cat’s arm. The hypnotized monster snarled and hurled the boy into the air.

Zoro saw red and his boot embedded itself into Butchie’s gut, launching the man off him like he’d been shot from a cannon. Zoro got to his feet and scrambled up the side of the pirate ship again, reaching the deck in time to catch Sano before he could splat. Butchie crashed much less gracefully nearby. He rose, snarling inarticulately. Zoro set Sano down and moved between the boy and the pirate.

“Sano, get back over here!” Yomi was back in human form, clutching the mast, gesturing angrily at him. Sano looked to Zoro, who was facing his opponent.

Without turning, Zoro ordered, “Go.”

Three things happened simultaneously. Sano ran for the railing, Butchie charged at Sano, and Zoro unleashed the Demon Cutter.

Sano leapt over the railing, extending one chain to lock around the mast and swung rather neatly to the deck, where Mina immediately grabbed him in a headlock and started shouting what an idiot he was, skin flashing a variety of colors.

Butchie was cut wide open, sailing through the air to land at the feet of a stupefied Jango. The hypnotist couldn’t believe what was happening. Save for himself and a few crew members asleep, in the kitchen, or recovering from injuries downstairs, the entire crew was dead or, judging by a few faint moans, crippled. How the hell would he explain this to Captain Kuro?

 _‘Maybe if I present him with some new, more powerful crew members. Quality over quantity.’_ “Hey Pirate Hunter, when I say 1, 2, Jango, you’ll be a Black Ca-urk!”

One arm appeared and swiftly twisted his behind his back, wrenching it higher until there was an audible snap. He barely noticed his weapon falling from his hand, bouncing across the wood planks and rolling into the sea. Two more arms appeared on the deck, pulling his legs out from beneath him. Jango crashed to the deck on his face, glasses shattering on the impact.

Another arm appeared and pulled his head up by the hair. The Pirate Hunter stood there, two swords resting across his shoulders, watching calmly. He leaned over the railing to call down to his partner.

“Oi, Raserei, get the ship clear. I’m going to take out a couple of their masts.”

Jango didn’t hear a reply, but whoever the swordsman ordered must have obeyed, as he walked towards the middle of the deck, near the main mast. He crouched low.

 **“Dragon Twister!”** Nothing happened for a moment after the attack as Zoro walked unsteadily back towards the side of the ship, panting slightly. As he sheathed the last of his swords with an audible “clack”, several cuts running clean through the mast appeared. It tottered precariously, a drunk trying maintain balance on a patch of dark ice. It lost the battle, pitching forward into the foremast, snapping the spars and tearing through the sail. It struck the masthead solidly, the cat head breaking under the force like a brittle twig.

A voice called up from somewhere off the side of the ship Jango couldn’t see. “Are you finished, Zoro?”

The moss-haired man shrugged wearily, looking back over the wreckage. “Yeah, I’m good. You ready to leave?”

“I need to have a word with the man commanding this ship.”

Jango didn’t like the sound of that. He liked it less when her heard the woman’s voice, cold and deadly, directly behind his ear.

“Whether your Captain is dead or in hiding is of no interest to me, but you should have abandoned this life when he abandoned you. You will not be taking my partner, or harming these children.”

Jango was certainly inclined to agree with all parts of that assessment at the moment. This was not worth waiting three years for Captain Kuro’s plan. “No, no, no, you’re absolutely right! I’m very sorry, we were just trying to –“

“I’m not interested. **Una Fleur: Slam.** ”

Jango couldn’t have told anyone later how many times his face was smashed against the deck. It was enough he didn’t regain consciousness, even when someone broke both his legs.

* * *

They’d left the Black Cats and their slowly sinking vessel back over the horizon when Robin realized she hadn’t seen Zoro in some time. He’d headed downstairs, saying something about needing the restroom, but that had been quite a while ago.

Asking Mina to take the helm, and the boys to keep watch, Robin slipped downstairs. She found him on the floor, sheen of sweat on his flushed face.

He tried to glare at her, but could barely raise his head to do it. “Not gonna knock?”

“You left the door open,” she pointed out as she crouched beside him.

His eyes tracked over her shoulder, confirmed this. His head fell back against the wall, then lolled to face away from her. “Shit.”

“Are you all right?” She knew the answer, but hoped he’d give her some hint of what exactly his symptoms were.

“I’m fine, just a little dizzy. Must have put too much into that last attack.”

His head had been spinning ever since he cut down the mast. How embarrassing, a swordsman incapacitated by his own attack.

“All that fighting likely overtaxed your system.”

“Pfft. That was barely a warm-up.”

“Well, given the fever you keep insisting you don’t have, I imagine you were warmed up enough already, Mister Swordsman.”

“Told you I’m fine,” he muttered, planting his palms against the wall to push himself to his feet. He went to brush past her, but Robin moved to bar his way.

“Zoro, at least stay down here and get some rest.”

She tried to guide him towards her bunk, but he set his feet. “I can do that up on deck.”

“It would be quieter down here. I can keep the children occupied so they won’t disturb you.”

“And if there’s trouble?”

She could feel him wavering, which should probably concern her, but she tried to press the advantage, continuing to move him towards her bed. She formed an ear on the palm that was pressed against his chest. His heartbeat was steady, if a little fast. His breathing sounded normal.

(She’d been worried when he coughed up blood. Hopefully it was just something that had been caught in his throat the impact dislodged.)

“If there are any problems I can’t handle, I promise to wake you immediately.”

Reluctantly, he let himself land heavily on the mattress. “First sign of trouble,” he insisted.

She nodded as she helped him remove his boots and drew a sheet over him. “The first sign of trouble.”

(Of course, Robin’s definition of “trouble” was going to differ significantly from Zoro’s at this point. Anything short of Garp appearing she’d classify as a nuisance and handle alone.)

Zoro’s head sank back into the pillow, eyelids already sinking low. He didn’t resist when she placed a cool cloth on his forehead, although he turned away slightly. Robin moved swiftly to the door before he could change his mind.

As she drew it shut, she added, “I’m sure this isn’t how either of us imagined you might end up in my bed, but enjoy your rest, Mister Swordsman.”

The swordsman was so out of it he didn’t even react to her comment.

* * *

Zoro didn’t know how much time had passed when he awoke, but the first thing he was aware of was silence. He shot upright, only remembering after how dizzy he’d been earlier. Fortunately, it seemed to have passed. There was still a dull pounding behind his temples, but he could cope with that. He listened again.

Nothing. No laughter, no shouts, no eager footsteps. The ship was barely moving, either. Like they were anchored, or tied up.

Panic seized him as he searched for his swords, needing a few seconds to recognize they were sitting next to the bed. He grabbed them hastily and dashed upstairs, minus his boots.

They were anchored near the shore of an island. _Pipit_ was empty, except for him. He couldn’t see anyone on the island. Just a small, rocky beach that ended at a forest of low, wide trees whose broad leaves were just beginning to turn.

Zoro’s mind whirled at what could have happened, but he forced himself to calm down. He reached out with his other sense. He was still trying to figure out how to extend its range, but not trying paradoxically seemed to work best. Let it gradually sweep a wider area.

_‘I don’t have time for “gradually”!’_

Zoro couldn’t tell whether he heard them coming or sensed them first, but he felt tension ebb from his muscles. They seemed fine. The kids sounded cheerful enough, and Robin didn’t feel scared or worried. They were headed his way, so Zoro shoved his worries down and tried to wipe any expression from his face.

The little procession emerged from the woods a minute later. The children were working in pairs, each rolling one of their water barrels ahead of them. Wade was next to Robin, carrying what looked like a sack of fruit. Robin had a similar, but much larger bag, slung over her shoulder.

Behind them rolled two more water barrels. It took Zoro a moment to notice the pink petals drifting upwards behind them constantly. Of course. Robin was using her powers to move them.

The kids waved eagerly when they noticed Zoro watching their approach. Zoro waved back once, then jumped over the side to help load the barrels.

“Good evening Zoro,” Robin greeted. “Did you enjoy your nap?”

“It was fine,” he answered absently. “You found a town?”

She shook her head. “I haven’t seen any sign of people, but we found a spring-fed stream. I thought we could anchor here for the night. Let them have a little room to roam.”

She gestured to the kids, who were busy exploring the beach. Wade and Sano arguing over who found the coolest rock, while Peter and Yomi were studying a tiny crab as it scuttled away.

“Sounds good,” the swordsman agreed. Then in a lower voice, “You didn’t think to wake me up before your field trip?”

“There was no trouble, Zoro,” she replied evenly. “I’m capable of looking after them.”

“I wasn’t worried about that. I know you’d protect them. But who was watching your back?”

“You shouldn’t worry so. I’m able to manage that on my own.” She turned away, revealing a single blue eye peering at him from between her shoulder blades.

He knew she was making a joke, but Zoro couldn’t help feeling stung. He tried not to show it.

“Guess you’re right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad luck for the Black Cat Pirates, huh? Believe me, it's only gonna get worse for the survivors.
> 
> "Ritorai" is a Japanese word for "retry". I tried a bunch of different words for Wade's power - revert, rewind, redo, undo - but that was the one that flowed best. 
> 
> "Iro" is "color", so kind of like a chameleon.


	36. Straw Hats Interlude 1: Shells Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy and Coby reach Shells Town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Point the First: The third and final one-shot goes up on the 29th, so Chapter 37 will be posted December 2nd. After that, we're back to the "new chapter every three days" schedule for the remainder of the story.
> 
> Point the Second: It's been asked a couple times how the Straw Hats are gonna make it if Zoro's not joining the crew. This is something I gave some thought, because it felt important. Plus, I actually like those kind of hypotheticals. "If you remove Character X, how does it impact Event 3?" Anyway, this is the first of several chapters attempting to address that question.
> 
> Point the Third: It was asked in the comments where Robin and Zoro's story is at, relative to the canon story. Assume Luffy and Coby are reaching Shells Town the same time as in the canon storyline. This chapter takes place on the same day as when Wade accidentally dumped himself overboard with his Devil Fruit power in Chapter 35. So we're three days past Robin waking up after nearly drowning.

Coby and Luffy made their way through the streets of Shells Town. It seemed like a happy enough community, Coby thought. For the most part.

The townspeople went about their business, either cheerfully or with a silent focus that spoke of their commitment to their task. Except when Marines passed by. When that happened, people would halt whatever they were doing and turn a wary eye on the passing soldiers.

Coby might not have ever seen that look before, but he knew it well. He’d worn one like it often enough. The same way he recognized the tension in their shoulders from his days on Alvida’s ship. It was the air of a person who thinks they need to be ready to shield or explain themselves.

For their part, the Marines seemed aware of this response to their presence, and bothered by it. They would tip the bill of their caps towards the person or persons, greet them politely and respectfully. Ask if there was any way they could be of service. Sometimes the tension would ease and the person would answer. They were polite and friendly, even if the smiles didn’t quite reach the eyes. Other people would shake their heads and mumble something.

Coby thought that was suspicious, but the Marines never questioned anyone further. Just accepted whatever answer they received and kept moving.

“C’mon Coby!” The pink-haired boy found his attention seized himself by his unlikely savior, who was gesturing at one of the Marines. “Let’s ask this guy!”

Luffy ran, Coby being dragged helplessly along in the rubber boy’s surprising grip. Luffy stopped abruptly, but Coby’s momentum sent him tumbling by. Luffy’s arm stretched with him at first, then snapped back to normal length, bringing Coby along with it. 

“Hey Marine Guy!” Luffy said with a huge smile. “Coby wants to join you guys!”

If the Marine found this strange, he didn’t comment. He looked at Coby, still trying to pick himself off the ground. “Is that so?”

“Ye-ye-yes,” Coby said meekly, head bent, eyes fixed on his shoes.

“It’s not a thing to do on a dare, you know,” the man said. “If you don’t really want to be a Marine and serve Justice, you’re better finding something else.”

“He does so want join!” Luffy was indignant. “It’s his dream! Tell him, Coby!”

Coby turned to look at his new friend, who wore a serious expression despite the cheerful tone. He took a deep breath and raised his head, meeting the Marine’s eyes, even as experience told him to look down before the adult hit him.

“I want to be a great Marine!” he shouted. “To capture evil pirates and protect people!”

The Marine leaned back. Whether that’s because the force of Coby’s conviction impressed him, or because the boy tended to spray when he shouted is lost to the shrouds of time.

Either way, the man seemed convinced. “OK. Headquarters is at the top of the hill, up that street,” he gestured. “Ask for the Commander’s office.”

He turned to regard Luffy. “You want to join the Marines too?”

Luffy’s smile grew wider than ever, until the corners of his mouth seemed they would meet in the back. 

“No way! I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!”

Without waiting for a response, Luffy grabbed hold of Coby’s wrist again and sprinted up the stairs, the other boy again being dragged behind like a toy on a string.

* * *

Acting Commander Ripper eyed the pink-haired boy in front of him critically. The kid said he wanted to be a Marine. He was pretty tiny and scrawny. It took most of the boy’s strength of will just to state his intent any louder than a whisper.

“You’re a little young to join the Marines officially.”

“I understand,” Coby replied. “I’ll do whatever. I’ve been a cabin boy before. I can be a chore boy until I get stronger.”

“Cabin boy, eh? On a Marine vessel?”

The boy paled and began to sweat. “No, no. It was a, uh, a commercial vessel! Moving goods around!”

It sounded extremely suspicious when you put it like that. Ripper started to wonder if the kid was a plant from a pirate crew. To what purpose, he couldn’t fathom, but that was becoming a regular occurrence. The two oddballs that had been captured at the same time Morgan was stripped of his position remained mum as to why any of them were here.

(He was pretty sure the now deceased guy with the 7s fetish and the woman with the ties were criminals. They had some interest in the Pirate Hunter. Revenge possibly? He had no idea who the woman that had been captured inside their Communications building was. She’d not spoken to them once.) 

He put that aside. He had other concerns. Vice-Admiral Garp was supposed to arrive soon to take the prisoners. He needed to double-check his reports and speak with his men so that there was no mention of Roronoa and Nico Robin having been here. 

(He couldn't jibe what the higher-ups said with what he'd seen while they were here, but he also knew saying so would just get him jailed.)

Plus, Ripper had the nagging feeling someone had been in the office. Nothing was out of place, but he couldn’t help thinking someone had gone through his papers. And there was a faint citrus smell in the air he didn’t recognize. 

(At least he was confident no one tampered with the safe. Morgan refused to give up the combination, and Ripper didn’t want to risk damaging any contents by forcing it open. He’d have to get in eventually, though. There might be more evidence of Morgan’s crimes inside.)

Ripper dismissed those thoughts. Maybe the ensigns used a new polish for the furniture. He turned his focus back to the pink-haired boy and his odd friend in the straw hat. The latter hadn’t said anything after dragging his friend in and saying he wanted to be a Marine. Currently he had one finger digging in his nose.

“You realize acting as a spy for pirates is a hanging offense, correct?”

Coby’s eyes widened. “I’m not! I truly want to be a Marine! Grow strong and protect people who need it!”

Ripper really wanted to believe the kid. If what he said wasn’t just words, well, the Marines could use more people like that, rather than Morgans, who thought power meant other people were meant to serve them.

His line of questioning was interrupted as one of his men burst in the office. He collided with the boy in the straw hat, who leaned forward from the impact, but sprang back sharply, colliding with the ensign and sending him flying back into the hall. The man picked himself up, and entered more carefully the second time, giving the boy a wary eye.

“Sir, Morgan has escaped!”

* * *

“All of you worthless traitors, kneel before me and take your lives!”

To Morgan’s anger, none of his men (and they were still his, that coward Ripper did not deserve to take them) obeyed his order. He had pulled his shackles free of the cell wall after being informed the “great” Garp the Fist would be coming to take him into custody. He brought part of the wall down in the process. He tried to retake his office, but his insubordinate men refused to let him through. Now he was trapped in a hall, with men on either side.

“These men aren’t yours to command, Morgan!” Ripper shouted as he stood with his men, blade drawn. “You were stripped of your rank and command because of your abuse of authority! Release your hostage and surrender!”

“It’s not abuse for a great one to rule the feeble and unimpressive!” Morgan held his son by the throat in his one hand. “You may have stolen my axe, but I can still crush this wretch’s neck if you don’t give way!”

“Father don’t, please!” Helmeppo pleaded. His father didn’t even look at him, so he turned to the Marines, hoping they'd help.

In truth, he still resented how things had changed. He was only allowed to stay here if he became a chore boy. It was awful, degrading work. The sort of thing these Marines were supposed to do for him. But, when he did his job well, the Marines acknowledged it. If he didn’t know how, they would teach him. Either of those was more than his father ever did.

He wasn’t sure they liked him enough to care about his fath – _Morgan’s_ – threat, though.

“Killing him won’t get you anywhere, Morgan,” Ripper stayed calm, trying to figure a way to settle this without bloodshed. “Just an execution instead of a prison sentence. Let him go, gently, and return to your cell.”

“You are all jealous of my greatness. You and all the higher-ups,” Morgan was raving. “This is all to keep me from taking my rightful place at the top!”

“What are you doing?” A high-pitched voice cried. A pink-haired boy stood next to the line of Marines in front of him.

“You were a Marine? You’re supposed to stand for Justice! To protect people, not harm them for your own benefit! How could you ever wear their colors?”

“Silence, child,” Morgan growled. “You don’t know who you’re addressing.”

“Another bully!” Coby took a shaky step forward. “You try to make everyone else feel small to make yourself look better, but it doesn’t work! There’s nothing great about you!”

Morgan saw red, and threw Helmeppo aside without a second thought. He lunged for this gnat. He would teach him respect.

**“Gum-Gum Pistol!”**

The fist sent Morgan flying backwards, the line of Marines behind him diving out of the way as he hurtled past. He went through the wall, fell three stories, and bounced once off the hardpacked parade grounds. He lay there groaning in the dust.

The Marines turned as one to stare at the boy in the straw hat as his arm retracted to its normal length. Luffy huffed in disappointment.

“You’re so weak,” he stated. “And loud. If you’re gonna be loud, at least be strong.”

* * *

“Thank you for helping us recapture Former Captain Morgan,” Ripper said. “These provisions aren’t much, but hopefully you can continue on your journey to uh. . “ He trailed off, not really wanting to admit he was helping someone who claimed they were going to become King of the Pirates.

Monkey D. Luffy was either oblivious to Ripper’s discomfort, or more likely didn’t give a shit. 

“To become King of the Pirates! Duh! I told you like five times, already!” Luffy turned to Coby, already outfitted in the chore boy equivalent of a Marine’s colors.

“Are you sure you wanna be a Marine? They seem pretty dumb.”

“Of course I do! I’m gonna be a great Marine, and if you become King of the Pirates then, then, I’ll capture you!”

Coby half expected to be punched, but Luffy just grinned. “Great!” 

_Then_ he punched Coby, sending the boy sprawling.

“You gotta get a lot stronger first, though. The Pirate King needs a strong Marine to fight!”

Coby got up, legs wobbling after that punch, but stood tall. “I will! The next time we meet will be different!”

“Nuh-uh!”

“Yeah-huh!”

Ripper couldn’t help feeling like a kindergarten teacher. “Maybe you should go ahead and set sail. And chore boy, you should get to work.”

“Yes sir!” Coby saluted and started on the long hike from the docks all the way uphill. “Bye Luffy!”

Luffy jumped into his dinghy and Ripper pushed it away from the docks with one foot. “Bye Coby, bye Marine Guy!”

Ripper watched him go, wondering if he should leave the fact a rookie pirate with no crew captured his prisoner for him out of the report. He was already going to have to explain the other prisoners escaping in the confusion.

* * *

On a small fishing vessel just over the horizon, two individuals sat and planned their next move.

“You really think I should join your group?” Maestra Disfrazo asked Miss Father’s Day doubtfully.

The secret agent and the criminal struck up a friendship of sorts during their days in the cells. The Marines’ interrogations were boring, and Morgan wasn’t much of a conversationalist, so they were each other’s only option. Morgan’s escape produced a useful distraction for their own jailbreak.

“Sure!” Miss Father’s Day answered confidently. “You said you’d get in trouble if Roronoa and Nico Robin get to that island, right? Our boss is looking for her, and I could use some payback on the Pirate Hunter.”

“Didn’t Roronoa kick both you and your partner’s asses on his own?” the former CP5 agent pointed out. Miss Father’s Day turned red and spluttered.

“They worked together! And I didn’t see you doing so well!” 

Disfrazo acknowledged that was true. Nico Robin beat her, then pulled information from her almost as easily.

“That’s why we should team-up, after we each get new partners” Miss Father’s Day argued earnestly. “Two-on-one, _we_ lost. One-on-one, _you_ lost. If it’s four against two, though. . .”

Disfrazo considered this point. She definitely couldn’t return to her superiors empty handed after this fiasco. Capturing the Devil’s Child might be enough to save her neck, since she’d kept her affiliation a secret from the Marines. But she couldn’t catch Nico Robin alone, and couldn’t contact Cipher Pol for more help, since that would, you know, lead to them finding out how she fucked up.

Using this syndicate might work, especially if her partners were all killed or badly injured in the battle. And if it failed. . .

“You really think I’ll be able to join Baroque Works?”

“Absolutely! You might have to start in the lower ranks, but you’ve got the sweet skills to become part of a Number Agent pair like me in no time!” Miss Father’s Day proclaimed proudly.

“All right, you’ve got a deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minus his axe, Morgan's even more of a pushover than he already was.
> 
> Next chapter, Robin and Zoro reach their destination, and get some bad news.


	37. An Ephemeral Haven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin, Zoro and the children reach his old training grounds. What they find is more bad news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back. All the one-shots are done - if you read any of them, even though they weren't One Piece, thank you - so from here on, I should be able to maintain the every three days' posting rate until the story is finished.

After a week, they reached the island that held Shimotsuki Village. Zoro hadn’t recognized it at first glance, ignoring the small harbor. It wasn’t until they sailed past a deserted cove on the far side of the island, that he pointed confidently.

“This is the place,” he said. “We can get there from here.”

The cove was horseshoe shaped, a narrow rocky shore bordered by steep cliffs. It was easy to anchor _Pipit_ where it was out of sight of any passing ships. Robin noticed several large rocks strewn about, some of which looked like they were once part of larger rocks.

“How do you know about this place, Mister Zoro?” Peter asked.

“I trained here a lot,” the swordsman said, patting a rock absently.

The other adult and five children peered up at the sheer rock faces.

“And how did you get here?” Robin wouldn’t put it past him to have swam here, but that wasn’t feasible with six Devil Fruit users in tow.

“I climbed down,” as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “That was the point of training here. Get stronger by hauling rocks up and down the cliff.”

“I see. Then these oddly-shaped holes in the shore would be. . .?”

“The times I lost my grip,” he said, unconcerned. “Don’t worry, the kids are lighter than the rocks I used the last time I did this, and I’m a lot stronger now.”

Robin kept her own counsel. After his near collapse the day before, Zoro’s fever finally broke, but the archaeologist doubted he was fully recovered. There were still dark bags under his eyes, and a paleness to his skin that wasn’t normal. And that odd tension in his shoulders still hadn’t left him.

Unaware of her worries, Zoro crouched before the cliff. “Hop on and hold tight. None of you need to take a fall today.”

Peter and Wade rushed up without hesitation, Peter clinging to Zoro’s front like a baby koala, Wade on his back. The older children deliberated, and Yomi joined the boys, shifting to her super-light paper form and wrapping her limbs carefully around them. 

Zoro glanced over to Mina and Sano expectantly, but Robin stepped in. “I can bring them up with me. **Cien Fleur: Ladder.** ”

A chain of arms ran to the top, and when Sano stepped close, the first pair gripped under his arms, passing him up. Once Mina was on her way, Zoro started climbing, ascending like he was born to it. Robin could see he was trying to make it up the cliff before she could move the children there. Sano noticed as well.

“Faster, Miss Robin!” he called eagerly. “You can beat him!”

Robin winced at someone shouting her name like that, even in a deserted cove, but played along. Wade and Peter urged Zoro on as Sano caught up. It was close, but when he was 10 feet from the top, Zoro made a single giant lunge for the ledge and hauled himself up.

Once she was certain everyone else was safely up, Robin joined them. Peter and Wade were bouncing around, Peter on the verge of shifting to his full Zoan form in his excitement. Sano greeted Robin with a hug. 

“It’s OK, Miss Robin. You tried really hard.”

Robin didn’t mention she could have hurled Sano to the top easily. The hug was a more-than-welcome consolation prize. Looking around, there wasn’t anyone or anything nearby. Just a dense forest and the creatures that typically inhabit such places.

“Zoro, are you certain you can find your way?”

“Oh yeah, definitely,” he said confidently. “This way.” 

He set off into the woods, children following like baby ducklings.

* * *

Several hours of hiking later, Zoro was carrying Wade and Peter. He might add Mina to the pile soon, if the way her head drooped was any indication. Dusk was fast approaching, and they were still in the woods. 

Robin had heard of this island, but having never visited, couldn’t take the lead. Strange though, that Zoro seemed unperturbed by how long this was taking. In the past when she let him lead (to see if she could discern the precise nature of his directional problems), he quickly grew confused and irritated, mumbling about moving streets or forests (though he of course insisted he was not lost).

Here, he seemed perfectly calm, the peaceful smile on his face brightening his complexion. On rare occasions there was a visible footpath in the underbrush and it forked, the green-haired man never hesitated in choosing a direction. 

Which didn’t guarantee he knew where he was going. He had been confident following a cloud meant he was still going east, after all. But it was outside the norm.

“Mister Roronoa?” Yomi called, watching the deepening shadows nervously.

“We’re almost there. I ran this trail every day for years.”

“And it’s the fastest way to where we’re going?”

“I don’t know about that,” he admitted. “I just let my feet carry me.”

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. 

“It always got me home. Eventually.”

“How old were you then?” Wade asked.

“About Peter’s age when I started. Should have started sooner. I’d be that much stronger now.”

* * *

Night had fallen by the time they exited the woods, which opened on gently rolling hills covered in grassy fields. All the kids were being carried now. Robin formed a cradle of arms on her back for Yomi, and another set held Sano against her chest. Wade drooled on Zoro’s shoulder as he slept. The swordsman had to feel the drool running down the back of his shirt. But he showed no sign of discomfort, didn’t try to shift the child.

They approached a small compound, surrounded by walls that, though aged, still shone white in the pale moonlight. The wooden gates were closed, but a pair of lanterns on either side lit the entrance. Zoro marched forward, but Robin caught his arm. She wanted to check. The Marines might know this was a place Zoro knew. Her eyes searched the interior, but found only two people, both asleep in their respective rooms.

That settled, Zoro pounded loudly on the gates with one hand. Wade cried out as the loud noise startled him awake.

“Easy, kiddo,” Zoro mumbled as Peter and Mina patted the boy’s head. “No trouble, we’re here.”

One gate swung open, revealing a young man with thick, dark hair slicked back. His eyes narrowed.

“What are you doing here, Zoro?”

“We need a place to rest and lay low.”

“You think you can just show up here after what you - ?”

“Saitaro, who is it?”

The young man stepped aside for an older one in robe and sandals. The robe was neatly tied and arranged despite their unexpected arrival. Dark hair hung in a loose ponytail that almost reached his waist. He peered at their odd group through a pair of round glasses, eventually settling on the swordsman, surprise clear in his eyes.

“Zoro.”

“Good evening, Sensei,” Zoro responded, bowing deeply, an impressive feat with three children hanging on him. “May we come in?”

* * *

After getting them a quick meal, the children were set up with sleeping mats around a fireplace in a small building near the back of the dojo’s grounds. The older man, Koshiro, explained none of his students would venture back there. The children were reluctant at first, clearly uneasy about staying alone while the adults spoke in the main building.

“One of you can sit in on the conversation,” Robin offered. “Then the others can still get some sleep.”

So Yomi sat quietly next to Robin and Zoro, with Koshiro and Saitaro across from them. Robin took a moment to examine the room. It was sparsely furnished, but neat and organized. Plain but clean mats on the floor, a few small landscape paintings on the walls. A tea set stored neatly in one corner.

The most notable feature was a small shrine that sat against one wall. Robin didn’t miss how Zoro’s eyes went to the empty sword rack that sat beneath a framed photo, his thumb rubbing small circles on the sheath of his white katana. She filed it away for later.

Zoro explained the situation to his teacher, more measured and polite in his speech than Robin expected. It reminded her of when he asked permission for her to see Champ du Rene’s library. The elder man, Koshiro, listened quietly, expression unreadable. Saitaro, on the other hand, scowled constantly at them from beneath thick eyebrows. When Zoro finished, he scoffed.

“You expect us to believe the Marines were experimenting on children?”

“Saitaro, is it so much more unbelievable than what the papers said?” This was the first time Koshiro had spoken since Zoro began.

Robin’s hands clenched, bracing for what was next, while Zoro asked, “What are the papers saying?”

“That you and the Devil’s Child there,” Saitaro sneered, “slaughtered an orphanage, along with killing two dozen Marines that tried to stop you.” 

The young man’s glare kept switching between them, as if he couldn’t decide who he found more contemptible.

“That’s not true!” Yomi cried. “The Marines kidnapped us! They killed the others and threw their bodies in the sea!”

The girl’s body shifted, thin, razor-sharp arms reaching towards Saitaro, who lurched back, terrified.

“Yomi, stop,” Robin urged. “The World Government lies to cover their crimes. He isn’t the first to be fooled, and won’t be the last.” 

The girl’s eyes lingered angrily on Saitaro a moment longer before she turned to Robin and nodded, shifting back to normal. Tears spilled over as she whispered, “Can’t we tell someone the truth? Make everyone know the Marines are wrong?”

Robin placed one hand on the girl’s shoulder and shook her head. “It would be too dangerous. The World Government will go to any lengths to hide their actions. If they knew you and the others were here, they would do their best to silence you. If that required killing everyone on this island and erasing it from history, they would not hesitate.”

Yomi’s eyes widened in terror. Robin could almost feel the anger radiating off Zoro. Koshiro appeared deeply saddened, but unsurprised.

“How do you know that?” Saitaro’s voice was small and frightened, a man abruptly adrift on a sea he didn’t know.

“Because they have done it before,” Koshiro stated plainly. “More than once.”

“Then what do we do?” Zoro asked. “Can we lay low, wait for this to blow over?”

“That may prove difficult for you and Miss Nico,” his teacher said, as he drew two sheets from the newspaper and laid them out on the floor.

_**“Devil’s Child” Nico Robin $90,000,000** _

_**“Tri-Blade Demon” Roronoa Zoro $37,000,000** _

Robin noted absently her bounty had increased for the first time in 20 years, if only slightly. More troubling, they had a current photo of her, likely from cameras within that base. Her eyes narrowed in anger, a bruise on her cheek, arms raised.

“How come your bounty is so much higher than mine?” Zoro didn’t sound bothered about having a bounty, so much as its size relative to hers. His picture showed him glaring from beneath his bandana, white sword gripped between his teeth in a frightening grin. It certainly captured the spirit of all those stories she’d heard about the “Pirate Hunter”.

“It’s my second bounty, although my first was only 11 million less.”

“Eh?!” Zoro gawked as he looked from her to her bounty.

“It’s unsafe for Zoro and I to stay here,” she said to Koshiro. “Will you look after the children?”

“You’re going to leave us, too?”

Yomi’s face was cast towards the ground, her voice barely a whisper. Robin hated the resignation she heard in the girl’s voice. “You’re in more danger with us, Yomi. Marines, bounty hunters, and even other pirates will be after us now.”

“I am certainly willing to house the children, but they may not be safe here, either.” Koshiro said grimly. “Even though the news states you left no survivors, the Marines must know you rescued some of the children.”

“Meaning they’ll be looking for them as well,” Robin finished, feeling so tired at that moment. He was right, and she hated it had to be considered. “That still doesn’t make it safe for them to be near Zoro and I.”

“I agree,” the headmaster said. “I may be able to contact others who could keep them safe and hidden. I’ll make a call tonight.”

* * *

Robin sat awake in the small building watching the fire. She hadn’t intended to sleep here, certain one of Koshiro’s students would wander back tomorrow regardless of what the man said. But the children didn’t want to be left alone, and Robin hadn’t the will to abandon them. Not yet. Not until she was sure there was someone else who would care for them.

The children were all asleep now, and she quietly headed for the door. Zoro’s head rose from his chest where he sat against one wall, arms folded over his stomach. He watched her questioningly, eyes clear and alert. She placed a finger to her lips. He nodded, and even though his head lowered again, she knew he remained awake. 

(He hadn’t been asleep, either. She wondered what he was thinking about. His bounty? The children? Their next move? Her?)

She slid the door shut and for a moment, again considered running. Through the woods to the cove. Down the cliff to _Pipit_. Just sail away. She would have to leave here sooner or later, she knew. With or without Zoro. 

She gazed at the sky, breath forming a small cloud before it dispersed. At the far edge of the small village, it grew quite cool at night. The stars gleamed, undisturbed by the troubles of humans. The peaceful scene did nothing to calm the battle in her mind. The part of her shaped by her life on the run, that told her to focus on her survival. And the part that insisted there were others to think of this time.

It made sense to leave Zoro behind. She could disappear more easily alone. His green hair and three swords were highly recognizable, and he wasn’t always very stealthy. Worse, Zoro didn’t know what it was like to be hunted, or the kind of power the Marines could bring to bear. Likely, he wouldn’t care. Would want to face them head on. Which would get him, and possibly her, killed.

Her head dropped. She was the reason he’d been at that base to begin with, had wound up with a bounty. It felt wrong to leave him behind, even if he might stand a better chance of being captured alive without her. 

(Robin had no illusions of her being taken alive. If they did, it would only be to make her wish they hadn’t.)

Even as she thought it, she realized how foolish it was. Zoro wasn’t likely to surrender to any foe intent on arresting or killing him. Not unless the safety of a small child was at stake. If she disappeared, would Zoro try to protect the children alone? The year she spent on the Grand Line alone had been trying. Was she prepared to do it again?

 _Yes,_ her mind responded, if she had to. But Robin didn’t really want to leave Zoro behind. Assuming he still wished to travel with her. That was yet to be determined.

(He saved her from drowning, but the cynical part of her reasoned that might simply have been him keeping his word to protect her. But he’d looked so distraught at the idea of her nearly drowning. That couldn’t simply be about his honor, could it? 

Robin didn’t want Zoro to travel with her out of some sense of obligation. She wanted him to travel with her because he _wanted_ to travel with her.)

She turned to the dojo, one light still visible inside. She’d listened to Koshiro’s call. She didn’t want to think Zoro’s teacher would betray him, but she’d seen crueler turns, even if she didn’t think the man naïve enough to believe he could turn her in to save his student or the children. 

He’d been vague. Didn’t mention her or Zoro, nor the name of the person he was speaking to. He said some orphaned children washed ashore that could use protection and assistance. The person on the other end, they sounded male, said they would be there in the next few days.

She moved silently down the hall to the lit room, found Koshiro kneeling quietly before the shrine. Head bowed, whether in prayer or contemplation she didn’t know. His eyes remained closed, but his posture suggested he was aware of her presence.

“Miss Nico, is there a problem?”

“I was curious just who you contacted.”

“You’re concerned about the possibility of Marines or bounty hunters. It was neither.”

“Telling me who it isn’t is not the same as telling me who it is.”

“I have a contact in the Revolutionaries.” Robin’s eyes narrowed, and he continued. “I’m not any more thrilled at the thought of the children in their Army than you, but it is the safest option I know. Five children, all with Devil Fruits, will be rather difficult to hide if the Marines make any concerted effort to find them. It requires resources few have access to.”

He smiled sadly. “Especially since I imagine they will not want to be separated.”

Robin wasn’t sure what to make of this. She doubted the Revolutionaries would simply hide the children somewhere and leave them in peace. They would be expected to fight. If not now, in the future. Unless the Revolutionaries succeeded first. But they might survive. 

The optimistic side of her said she and Zoro could give them a happier life, but realistically, it was doubtful. _Pipit_ would be hard pressed to carry them all. A larger ship would require the children help to sail it. Yomi and Mina were the oldest at thirteen. Wade was not even six. To bring them to the Grand Line, where she knew she had to go, both to escape the Marines and pursue the True History, would be irresponsible. While she had no doubt Zoro would defend them with his life (if he came along), the dangers the two of them will attract would likely make the children’s lives much shorter.

Koshiro watched her carefully. “I didn’t mention you, but I imagine you would be welcome.” 

His tone suggested more than his words. “And Zoro?”

Koshiro’s polite smile faltered. “They would offer, but I can’t see him accepting. The Revolutionaries are playing a long game. I’m sure you’re aware that Zoro is extremely focused on his own long-term goal. He would rather confront problems directly as soon as possible, rather than wait for a more opportune moment.”

“Yes, he does prefer to cut to the chase,” she joked. Koshiro nodded, but didn’t laugh. She turned her gaze back to the shrine. Up close, she saw the photo was of a young girl, dark hair cut short and framing bright eyes. She wore a smile that spoke of self-confidence. Robin’s eyes were again drawn to the empty sword rack below the photo.

He answered her unspoken question. “My daughter, Kuina. She passed away 9 years ago. Fell down the stairs while retrieving a whetstone. She planned to be the world’s greatest swordsman, despite my warning.”

Robin heard sorrow and regret. “Warning?”

“That as a woman, she would lag behind men in physical strength, and never be the greatest.”

Robin felt a sudden surge of hostility. Yes, the scholars of Ohara tried to keep her from learning the language of the Ancients. Not because she was too young, or a girl, but because they knew it could endanger her life and theirs. Once she had proven her ability, they encouraged her. Told her she could be the best among them, even as they advised her to keep her studies secret. Again, for her safety, and theirs.

(She was trying her best to live up to their confidence.)

Still, she was a guest. She restrained herself from verbally flaying him, taking a more measured approach. “To so cruelly dismiss her dream. . .”

Koshiro nodded, head bowed. “Zoro told me much the same many years ago. That it was her dream to pursue, to either achieve or not, and I had no right to try to take it from her.”

“The Wado Ichimonji. . .”

“Was our family’s, would have been hers, had I been wiser. Zoro requested it, to carry her dream with him.”

Koshiro’s head rose, dark pupils meeting hers firmly. He wore the same placid look as before, but Robin felt the glare all the same.

“Miss Nico, Zoro is the closest thing I have left to a child. While he may be unconcerned about anything other than achieving his and Kuina’s dream, I do not wish him to be hunted as a criminal. Forced to become a monster simply to survive.”

“Do you believe Zoro would do that?”

His words were precise, controlled. “I believe if a person is hunted by the entire world long enough, they will do monstrous things to survive. Whether that makes them a monster, I can’t say.”

Robin suspected Koshiro _could_ say, at least where she was concerned. For her part, Robin didn’t know. She had certainly done things considered monstrous by some. Some days she even felt like a monster, like she deserved her lot in life. Was that what traveling with her would do to Zoro? Was being around her tainting him?

“I think,” she said, speaking as calmly, as carefully, as Koshiro, “Zoro will remain himself until the day he dies. He won’t allow himself to do something, or be forced into doing something, that would compromise who he is.”

Koshiro hummed noncommittally. Robin bowed lightly and returned to the children.

* * *

Overall, Crocodile thought his plans were going fairly well. He was maintaining drought conditions throughout the entirety of Alabasta. The common people were suffering, growing desperate and angry. His own agents struck at different points to increase the terror and pressure, to make the royal family look even more inept and indifferent, increasing dissatisfaction. 

His casino was making money, and gave him a legitimate front to operate from. He could wine and dine the aristocracy, encourage them to see things his way about Cobra and how unfit he was to rule. The ones who could be swayed created their own blackmail material for him to use against them later, if necessary. The ones who couldn’t. . .

The desert can hold a lot of bodies.

But as he sat there at his massive desk in his expansive office, smoking another oversized cigar and staring at the stacks of papers, correspondence, and intelligence reports, he wondered if this was really worth it. Keeping all the different plates spinning was a full-time job. 

Especially taxing was keeping track of his agents. To maintain his air of legitimacy, that he was a Warlord not currently up to any wrongdoing, he couldn’t be seen with them publicly. So he relied on couriers. And since he wanted to minimize connections to himself, it was usually one courier delivering to another, and possibly another, who passed it along to the recipient. Causing a lag in communication, which meant sometimes they weren’t where they needed to be when they needed to be there.

It also cost a lot of manpower to assign members of the Billions to track the couriers, making sure they didn’t open the messages, or deliver them to Marines or any other interested parties. It’d be nice to have an employee who could handle all that single-handedly.

Not to mention it was hard to even keep track of what he had certain agents doing at any given time if they were gone for extended periods. The report he was looking at right now wasn’t triggering anything.

“Why the hell did I tell Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas to destroy an outgoing coffee shipment?” He couldn’t find any note he’d made explaining his reasoning. There was no telling how long it would take for them to reply if he sent a request for an explanation. If he’d given them one, it was probably vague – to keep his identity and larger plans obscured – and wouldn’t tell him anything.

At least so far, none of these sorts of miscommunications hampered his plans. In fact, random acts of violence made the populace feel even more unsafe. Which made the situation more unstable. Crocodile just had to make sure it didn’t explode before he was ready to capitalize. 

Which was the elephant in the room. All this might be for naught. Even if the country descended into madness and the people carried Sir Crocodile into the palace on their shoulders, and Cobra took him straight to the Poneglyph, he couldn’t read it. 

There had been no trace of Nico Robin since she’d killed Mr. 7 in Ebony nearly four years ago. He’d thought she’d show up here eventually. That some clue would point her to Alabasta, but no. Perhaps she found a lead on a different Poneglyph. There was no telling where she’d gone.

He exhaled a dry breath in frustration, pushing the paperwork to one side. He didn’t want to deal with this right now. It might be time for another village to be ruined. Using his powers to steal hope from these pitiful fools always perked him right up.

First though, some coffee and the paper. Other than the Poneglyph, and the abundance of sand (or lack of water), the coffee was one of the real selling points of this country. He stepped out of his office, locking it securely behind him, and headed for his lavish private quarters. Within a few minutes of contacting his manager at the front desk, he had a copy of the paper and a fresh cup. His first sip barely had time to reach his tongue before he spewed it all over the front page.

 _“She’s in the East Blue?!”_ he thundered, scanning the article for any useful intelligence, ignoring the charges the Marines leveled. Not that he cared one way or the other, he just knew the charges were irrelevant to him except that they put pressure on her. 

Of all the seas, what was she doing in the East Blue? Working with a bounty hunter? Roronoa Zoro. Why did that name sound familiar? Coffee forgotten, Crocodile turned and rushed towards his office, not even bothering to unlock the door. He slipped through the cracks as a fine skim of sand, paper left behind on the floor.

That woman would have to flee. He needed his agents stationed near the beginning of the Grand Line to intercept her. Which meant he had to get word out now, before she had a chance to slip further along and out of his grasp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes, notes, notes:
> 
> Yes, Ms. All-Sunday's true value to Baroque Works was her organization and personnel management skills. Also, I have, for some insane reason, decided Alabasta produces excellent coffee. I don't know how a desert island suffering through a years long drought can manage that, but it's One Piece. Weirder shit has happened.
> 
> I think Koshiro has an assistant teacher in canon, but I couldn't remember the guy's name, so here's Saitaro. Mostly here to be a more obvious jerk than Koshiro (who can be kind of a subtle jerk), and ask questions.
> 
> Two Koshiro headcanons I have are that, one, he did eventually realize he was wrong to try and stifle Kuina's dream like he did, and two, that Zoro tore him a new one at some point over it. What order those took place in, I go back and forth on. I think I prefer Koshiro figured it out himself first, and Zoro simply let it all out one night when he was feeling low.
> 
> I have no idea how bounties are calculated in One Piece. Like, the World Government doesn't want anyone finding the Ancient Weapons. Robin's literally the only person alive who can read the directions. Shouldn't her bounty be higher than Kidd's, who is just some edgelord schmuck that kills a bunch of people? Like the World Government gives a crap about pirates killing innocent people.
> 
> Anyway, Zoro's bounty is based on how Luffy's first bounty was as high as it was because he beat all the major players in the East Blue. Beatty is stronger than Arlong or any other East Blue pirate (as far as the Marines know, since this Buggy downplays his skills). So if Zoro killed Beatty, then he should have a high bounty by East Blue standards. it probably shouldn't be that high, since it was a tag team effort, but Zoro landed the killing blow all on his own, so. . . .
> 
> At least he got a new title out of it. People will stop calling him the Pirate Hunter now (eventually).


	38. A Swordsman's Struggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is troubling Zoro, and whatever it is won't get any better today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this chapter and Chapter 37 were one, but this part in particular ballooned out as I felt like there were more things to address, so I split them up. Also, I didn't want this stint in Shimotsuki to feel too rushed. 
> 
> And I've been putting Robin through the emotional wringer and figured, hey, it's Zoro's turn. Good for the goose, good for the gander, right?

“We’re going to the woods,” Zoro said without prompting as he entered the building shortly before dawn. The children, mostly asleep, responded to this announcement with grumbles and snores. The smell of hot food prompted a more enthusiastic response.

Shortly after she returned from her conversation with Koshiro, Zoro stepped out. He spent the rest of the night training in a field nearby, returning a short time ago and heading directly to the kitchen where he prepared the simple breakfast the children were digging into eagerly. 

His training the night before had not been like usual. The calm focus he normally wore as he moved smoothly through his katas was replaced with a furious aggression. He appeared locked in combat with some phantom. Robin had a suspicion who that phantom was, but Zoro’s closed-off expression suggested he would not talk about it. She hoped he would get some rest today.

“What? Why?” Robin wondered if she should be more worried about Saitaro, who entered with Zoro, carrying several lunches. Why was he concerned about Zoro’s plan?

“The students’ll be here soon,” Zoro responded. “The lazy ones always try to hide back here. Too risky they find us.”

“Zoro’s correct,” Robin wasn’t going to object to not being trapped here if trouble arrived. “The children would have to be quiet the entire day to avoid detection. That’s unpleasant for them, not to mention unlikely to happen.”

The assistant instructor nodded slowly, then collected the bowls and turned to the door. “I suppose you’re right. If you return near dusk, the students will have departed, and we’ll have dinner ready.”

Robin, Zoro and the kids quickly gathered their things, slipping out of the building and beyond the dojo’s walls. “Do you have a somewhere in mind, Zoro? Back to the cove, perhaps?”

“Nah, I know a good place that’s closer.”

* * *

It took two hours circling in the woods to find the clearing. Zoro again walked with total confidence, but his path was far from the most efficient. 

On the plus side, Robin knew there was no possibility anyone could have followed them without being spotted.

The clearing wasn’t large, still lightly shaded by the last stubborn, leafy holdouts on the trees that ringed it. A cold creek ran through, clear water rushing swiftly over rocks worn smooth by time. The remains of several training dummies piled in one spot. Despite having rotted with exposure to the elements, she could tell they’d taken serious abuse.

Zoro roamed as the children broke off to explore whatever caught their eyes. His fingers trailed lightly over a boulder or tree. He felt a little tension leave his shoulders.

Eventually, he settled into a comfortable spot beneath a tree. It was a good place to nap, and he could keep an eye on them, make sure they didn’t get themselves hurt or attract too much attention. Not that anyone ever came around here much. It had been his own place, where he could train and prepare for his next match with Kuina.

He saw Robin out of the corner of his eye, still at the edge of the clearing, arms folded across her stomach. It looked like she was just watching the kids, same as him, but that distant glaze was back. He wondered what she was thinking about, and if she’d tell him. He sighed, crossing his arms behind his head. They needed to talk. He thought they were OK after that blow-up during the storm. He wasn’t sure, though, and he wanted to be sure. 

After a few minutes, she returned from wherever her mind went, and came his way. He scooted over a little, offering space under the tree. She accepted, legs folded under her gracefully.

(With her precise movements, he bet she’d make a good swordsman. That was without taking into account the number of blades she could potentially wield. Of course, she’d have to know how to use multiple blades for that to do any good.)

The woman naturally didn’t start with the important issues.

“I’m surprised you aren’t training.”

“Don’t want to draw attention,” he responded without turning to her. “Plus, it’s risky with all the kids underfoot. Don’t need any of them getting hurt. And they’re too light to make good weights.”

That comment drew a tiny smile. “This was another of your training grounds.”

“Yeah.” Was she really going to keep beating around the bush? “We have things to discuss, Robin.”

The smile vanished, expression shifting to something sad. Resigned. Expecting bad news, but hoping it’ll turn out different.

(Zoro wondered if his face looked the same after the other students told him Kuina was dead. It had seemed like a cruel joke, but he’d known somehow, even before he saw the body.) 

She didn’t start where he expected. “I spoke with Koshiro. He contacted the Revolutionaries to come pick up the children.”

Zoro mulled that over. “They help kids a lot?”

“I’ve heard rumors they work to move any slaves they rescue to safe locations. It’s not unreasonable to think they’ll do the same for the children.”

He heard her caution. “You aren’t sure.”

Robin’s eyes were locked on the children as they ran around. Sano was trying to dual-wield sticks that were too large for him, chasing Peter as the Zoan bounded playfully out of range. Robin was pretty sure Sano’s movements were clumsy mimics of the man next to her. “No. They have Devil Fruit powers. I suspect the Revolutionaries will want their help.”

“They’re kids.”

“True. It probably won’t be immediate, but eventually.”

Zoro didn’t like the idea of these kids being thrown into a war. “What if we gave the Revolutionaries those Devil Fruits we took? They’d be able to just make a lot of adults stronger.”

Robin pursed her lips. She’d been counting on those as a source of money, since bounty hunting might prove difficult, but it was an option. _If_ they could count on the Revolutionaries to take the deal, and honor it.

“Or,” he continued, speaking carefully, “the kids stay with us.”

Zoro knew he didn’t know a thing about looking after kids. The way Robin, and even Johnny and Yosaku sometimes, acted, they didn’t think he could he even look after himself. Maybe they were right, but Zoro could at least trust himself to try, couldn’t he?

Robin hadn’t expected that from him, if only because it seemed likely to restrict his training so much. But he also didn’t understand how much his life had just changed.

“We’re going to be hunted by everyone now, Zoro. We won’t be able to protect them. Not unless we’re both willing to abandon our dreams, our identities, to hide on an isolated island somewhere. Even then, we could be discovered at any moment.”

A cheerful image of the children frolicking on _Pipit’s_ deck while she and Zoro looked on played across her mind. The sort of domestic scene she’d rarely envisioned for herself, even before she began life on the run. (Life as her aunt's indentured servant had taken much of the charm out of playing house.) She still wasn’t certain it was a life for her, but in her imagination, it held a certain appeal.

The vision was replaced with shattered, bloodied wood, small hands sinking beneath the waves. From the pained look on his face, the swordsman saw something similar.

Zoro saw threats besieging them from all angles, and him unable to drive them back. Too slow, too weak. The children dying around him, silent and cold. The images overlaid with Kuina’s form, lying still on her bed. Robin sinking into the depths. He shuddered, tried to shake that off.

Neither of them wanted to keep discussing it after that. Zoro moved on. “Your bounty is because of the Poneglyphs.”

Robin expected him to come back to that eventually. She’d steeled herself to talk about her past.

“Yes. The World Government would rather no one existed who can read the location of the Ancient Weapons.”

“And they made up the thing about the six ships of Marines?”

“Not exactly. Another Marine objected to their mission. Saul. He destroyed the ships.”

She paused. A big, cheerful smile shone like the sun in her memories. His laugh. His promise that there was a place for her out there. “He was a good man. My friend.”

“And they didn’t want people asking why a Marine did that, so they pinned it on you.”

“Yes. I was supposed to die with everyone else. When I didn’t, they made me a scapegoat. It made a good excuse to give me a bounty, encourage people to hunt me.”

“How old were you?”

“Eight.” 

_“Eight?”_ Zoro barely kept himself from yelling. She nodded. Maybe he shouldn’t be surprised. He’d just seen the Marines experimenting on children, _killing_ them. This way, they didn’t even get their hands dirty.

”You’ve been on your own since then, for how long?”

“Almost twenty years.” Except that wasn’t true, was it? “Eighteen years or so until I began working with you, Johnny, and Yosaku. Before that, I traveled with other crews, but it never ended well.”

There certainly was never any camaraderie between her and the groups she joined. They knew who she was. She knew what they were. A matter of time until one side betrayed the other. They might have respected or desired her strength, skill, and intelligence, but she was never one of them (and glad of it). Even on a ship full of people, she would be alone.

Things had been different in the East Blue. Even as it came to an end, she was grateful for the experience. She suspected it would make a return to the way things used to be even more painful. Robin wasn’t certain she could go back to working with people she didn’t trust or like. Horrible people she would help by doing horrible things. All so those people might help her stay alive a little longer.

( _‘Maybe you won’t have to,’_ the hopeful voice urged.)

Zoro sensed there was more, but he’d let her tell it her way, her pace. Focus on what she did say. That she was 28, for one thing. He’d thought maybe 23 or 24. He was glad she corrected herself, that she hadn’t felt alone working with him and the others. 

_Eighteen years_ , though. He traveled solo for less than two before teaming up with Johnny and Yosaku. Even focused on his dream, and never having been real sociable, the isolation took a toll. He caught himself talking aloud to no one (or to Kuina through her sword) more and more just to hear a voice that wasn’t threatening to kill him. Robin lived that for almost longer than he’d been alive.

Robin waited for Zoro’s response, but the swordsman seemed in deep thought. Robin told herself to broach the subject, but hesitated. Again. She knew it was foolish, but she didn’t want to let this – partnership, _friendship_ – go. As long as she didn’t say anything, didn’t give him the chance to say good-bye, she could tell herself everything was fine.

That wasn’t true, though. She took a deep breath, and Zoro was on his feet, eyes wide and sprinting towards the river as a cry went up. Peter slipped on a wet rock near the edge and was windmilling his arms in a futile effort to stay upright. Robin’s arms grew in a chain from the bank and pulled him to solid ground.

“Thanks Miss Robi –“ The boy was cut off as Zoro grabbed him firmly by both shoulders, lifting him to eye level with the furiously glaring swordsman.

“Be careful!” he snarled, entire body tense. “You could have fucking died from that fall! Smashed your head open, or broken your neck!”

“Zoro.” Robin grabbed his shoulder firmly, and that contact was enough to bring him back. He looked at the boy in his grasp. Peter was shaking, mumbling what sounded like promises to behave. Zoro’s eyes widened, and he set Peter down gently and stepped back, eyes cast at the ground.

“Sorry Peter. Didn’t mean to scare you.” He turned and hurried out of the clearing.

Robin considered going after him, but Zoro might not want anyone around him right now, and Peter needed her more. She knelt next to him as the others moved close, and when his eyes started to overflow with tears, swept him into a warm hug. 

“Is he mad at me?” the boy asked through sniffles.

Robin thought back on what Koshiro told her the night before. She wasn’t sure it was information she should share, but she didn’t want the children frightened of the swordsman.

“A close friend of Zoro’s died in a fall,” she said quietly, “seeing you nearly hurt the same way scared him.”

“Mister Zoro got scared?” Wade asked doubtfully. “He’s strong, though!”

“Being strong doesn’t mean you can’t get scared,” Mina answered. Wade looked unconvinced. 

“She’s right,” Robin said calmly, “especially since there are things being strong can’t help.” 

“It’s not a bad thing to be scared, as long as you don’t let it control you.”

The dark voice scoffed. _‘You’re one to talk.’_

“It can be difficult, though,” she added.

Yomi’s voice cut in. “Is that why you’re abandoning us?” 

* * *

The girl’s eyes held a cold anger that felt too familiar to Robin. “Because you’re scared?”

The children all turned to her, shocked. “You’re leaving us?” Sano echoed. “Why? What’d we do?”

“It’s nothing you’ve done, Sano. Nothing any of you have done,” Robin said as firmly as possible. “Zoro has a bounty like I do, and the Marines know what I look like now. We’ll be hunted relentlessly, and many of the ones doing the hunting won’t hesitate to hurt or kill children if they’re in the way.”

She let them process that before continuing. 

“I would die to protect you,” Not even the hateful voice in her mind questioned those words, “and I know Zoro feels the same. No child should experience what you have. But it’s just the two of us. If we fall, you’ll be alone on _Pipit_ , in the middle of the Grand Line. That’s if _Pipit_ isn’t destroyed along with us.”

The children’s eyes said they understood what it meant if that happened.

“But they’ve hunted you since you were our age,” Sano argued. “And you’ve survived.”

“Yes,” Robin agreed, and the boy smiled, thinking he’d won the argument. “But none of the people I came into contact with did.”

His smile dropped, eyes wide. She continued. “I’m the last survivor of my island, and the only survivor of every pirate crew and criminal syndicate I was forced to join to survive.”

 _‘That Marine was more accurate than he knew, when he compared me to typhoid,’_ Robin thought bitterly. A plague ship, death following in her wake.

“But Mister Roronoa has worked with you for awhile, and he’s OK.” Mina paused and looked towards where Zoro disappeared. “Right?”

“He has,” Robin answered, while wondering about the swordsman the same as Mina. “The only person I’ve worked with for over a year since I received a bounty. But this is the first time I was able to act within the law, rather than outside it. Now that Zoro is also a wanted man, that no longer applies.”

“Are you and Mister Zoro going to stick together?” Peter’s voice was muffled against her chest.

 _‘The 79, no, 90 million Beri question.’_ “I’m not sure. We haven’t discussed it. If so, it will have to be his decision. I wouldn’t try to force him to stay if he prefers not to.”

“What happens to us?” Yomi asked. Her anger wasn’t gone, but it wasn’t the only emotion Robin could read in her eyes now.

“Master Koshiro has contacts in the Revolutionary Army. They have islands and allied communities where people they’ve rescued can live safely. I’m hoping you’ll be able to have a peaceful childhood there while the Marines chase Zoro and I.”

The children looked a little more hopeful at that, especially Peter and Wade. “They may ask you to join their fight eventually. Not until you’re much older.”

She hoped she was right about that. If the Revolutionaries were stupid enough to throw untrained children into the fray, they would have been snuffed out long ago.

“There’s one other thing,” she said, reaching into her pack for a notebook and paper. She scribbled a number on several slips, handing one to each child.

“This is the number to our Transponder Snail. Only two other people have that number, so keep it to yourselves. If something happens, and you can contact me, do that.” There would have to be Transponders where they wound up, surely. "I’ll find some way to reach you, if I’m alive.”

Robin kept it just in case, but the only other people who had the number were Johnny and Yosaku. Who else would she willingly contact?

“Can, can we call if we just wanna talk?” Mina asked cautiously.

Robin smiled. Yosaku had called a couple of times since they parted company, for that very purpose. It had made her happy, to know he and Johnny were doing well. “I’d like that.”

“What if they won’t let us get to a snail?” Sano asked. “Can you teach us to sneak around?”

Robin nodded. That was something she could do.

* * *

Zoro roamed blindly through the woods, cursing himself as he rubbed furiously at his burning eyes. 

What an idiot. He lost control and scared the crap out of a kid that’s already been through enough shit to last a lifetime. And why? Because Kuina died the same way? Because there was this ache inside that he couldn’t get to go away, and it put him on edge? Because this wasn’t how he intended to return?

That Marine had nearly beaten him. If Robin hadn’t been there to help, he probably would have. And he was just a Captain. Robin had mentioned Admirals. And Mihawk was so strong, even they wouldn’t challenge him. Being back where he began, Zoro felt like he was still at the starting line, no closer to fulfilling his dream than when he first barged into that dojo and challenged everyone there.

No closer to keeping his promise to Kuina than the day he made it.

He gritted his teeth as the ache intensified. Sensei told him more than once he needed to master his emotions in battle. Kuina used them against him all the time. Goaded him into attacking when he knew he shouldn’t. Got him to lose focus, leave himself open to another loss. He stopped, taking a moment to look around. Trees, trees, and more trees. His hands itched to draw his swords and just _destroy_. Rampage through the forest, tearing down everything around him until he was too tired to feel anything beneath the familiar ache of sore muscles.

He cursed himself for such thoughts. How stupid. He wasn’t some wounded animal. He was a _swordsman_. He was supposed to be focused. Honed to perfection like Kuina’s sword. Absolute control. Precise in what he struck and when he struck at it. Not flailing about like a child throwing a tantrum.

But he had lost control on the ship, with Robin, and almost lost her as a result. Almost let the sea take her. Maybe he _had_ lost her, shown her he couldn’t be relied on. It wasn’t like she actually needed him. Proved she could watch her own back. Had kept herself alive for eighteen years without him.

His hands moved towards his swords again. He caught himself and pulled them back, clenched them into tight fists.

Being reminded of Kuina’s death shouldn’t throw him off. He couldn’t change what happened. What was the point of feeling bad? Take that pain, and use it to drive him forward. Make himself all the more determined. 

Wasting time feeling like he wasn’t getting anywhere just proved Kuina was right when she called him weak. He could be using that time to train, to make good on their promise. 

Did it matter if he didn’t know if Robin wanted to travel together? If she thought he was her friend? The uncertainty shouldn’t matter. She either would, or she wouldn’t. Just a useless worry, a tumor he should cut away. Zoro could achieve his dream by himself. That’s how he’d always figured it would have to be, anyway.

He stood there, eyes shut tightly, breathing heavily. Trying to repeat in his head like a mantra that it didn’t matter.

His eyes burned. The uncertainty mattered. Zoro wanted to scream. 

But he wouldn’t. He was under control.

* * *

Zoro stayed gone deep into the afternoon. Robin kept eyes on him throughout. He roamed the woods, cursing and muttering to himself. _At_ himself, most likely. His struggle to calm himself was obvious, even if he remained silent. His hands moved towards his swords more than once, and Robin tensed, expected him to lay waste to the forest. Each time he caught himself. Eventually he seemed to settle, grow still, and after much wandering, returned quietly.

(She didn’t guide him. Didn’t think he would be pleased knowing she’d seen him hurting.)

Zoro stayed at the edge of the clearing, leaned against a tree and refusing to look anyone in the eye. Acting as though nothing happened. His expression shuttered and cautious.

As they prepared to return to the dojo, Peter approached the swordsman hesitantly. Robin could see Zoro tense as he realized the boy was heading his way. He looked ready to run, but forced himself to wait. The Zoan stopped a few feet away, hands clasped behind his back, ears obscuring his face.

“I’m sorry I scared you, Mister Zoro,” he mumbled. Zoro’s face flushed. 

“’S OK,” he said quietly. “Not like you meant to. Was an accident. My fault for losing control, not yours. Sorry I yelled at you.”

Peter closed the distance and hugged the swordsman around the waist. Zoro looked shocked, but slowly relaxed. Hesitantly, he placed one hand on Peter’s head, and when the child didn’t flinch, ruffled his fur.

“Miss Robin says it’s OK to be scared, if it doesn’t control you.”

Zoro eyes rose to meet hers. “Miss Robin is pretty smart, most of the time.”

* * *

The walk through the woods was quiet, and much faster since Robin figured out the direct route, as opposed to the Zoro route. The students were gone by the time they arrived, leaving only Koshiro and Saitaro. All of them ate dinner together, and Koshiro found a few children’s books in storage, along with some children’s clothing and extra bedding to make the accommodations for the night a little better. With all the other people around, Robin didn’t think it was the best time to speak with Zoro. Perhaps after the children went to sleep.

“The people I contacted will be here tomorrow night,” Koshiro said. 

“That’s a very quick response,” Robin commented.

“They were in this section of the East Blue on other business,” Koshiro replied. “Saitaro will bring you some breakfast and lunches again tomorrow morning.” 

The older man turned to his former student. “Zoro, may I speak to you?”

Just like that, Robin saw the tension in Zoro’s shoulders that lessened slightly after his talk with Peter, return in force. His entire body seemed to clench, and he followed Koshiro inside stiffly.

Wade was asking Mina to read to him, and to _‘do funny voices’_ , while Peter and Yomi practiced some of what Robin taught them about moving silently and using shadows. (She hoped it was enough, and not just enough to get them in trouble.) Sano approached Robin, looking concerned. “Where are they going?”

She offered a reassuring smile, even as an ear appeared on Zoro’s back. “Most likely to catch up. Zoro’s been away from the island for a few years. Mister Swordsman is not the sort to send letters, from what I can tell.”

* * *

The two men returned to the main sitting room. Zoro’s eyes were drawn to the shrine as if by magnetism. Still maintained perfectly. He was pretty sure Sensei dusted it every day. The picture of Kuina still the same, that confident smile. The same one he saw every time she beat him, told him how weak he was. Seeing the empty sword rack made his hand drift to the sword at his hip.

They knelt across from each other. Koshiro searched Zoro’s face for something, although the younger man had no idea what. He stayed silent, waiting for his teacher to start. Trying to keep calm, keep his emotions leashed. He couldn’t screw this up, too.

“Are you doing well, Zoro?”

The green-haired man sighed internally. Why did everybody want to make small talk? Couldn’t they just say what they really wanted to discuss? “I’m fine, Sensei. I’m growing stronger, honing my techniques all the time.”

Koshiro waited, but Zoro offered nothing further. “You still follow your dream, then?”

“Of course. It isn’t only my dream. I’ll become the greatest or die giving my all.”

Koshiro's face grew pinched at mention of dying. “It will be more difficult now, with your bounty. You will be hunted.”

“Which means more opportunities to test myself, against stronger opponents. I feel that will only help.”

“You are regarded as a murderer. Of children, no less.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Zoro responded hotly, formal manner slipping. “People already said all sorts of things about me as a bounty hunter that I don’t know where they got their ideas. They can call me a demon, or whatever they like. I’m going to achieve my dream, and keep my promises.”

“Promises?” Koshiro echoed. “I was aware of only one.”

“Raserei, Robin,” he corrected. Koshiro knew who she was, no need for the alias, “and I promised to help each other achieve our dreams. She helped me realize how much farther I have to go.”

“You plan to keep traveling with her?” Koshiro’s tone was clipped, showing his disapproval by how hard he was trying _not_ to show it.

“Yes.” He hoped. They really needed to talk about it soon. If she was having second thoughts, he wanted to know. Needed that uncertainty gone. If shit would just stop getting in the way for five minutes. . .

“She may choose to leave with the children, join the Revolutionaries. Would you do the same?”

Zoro tried to process that, but he felt thrown. She hadn’t mentioned anything about it. Sensing the opening, Koshiro pressed him.

“Can you truly trust her, Zoro? You called her by a different name just a minute ago. She’s been using an alias. How long have you known her true name?”

He wasn’t going to lie. “About a week. Since the island where we found the kids. She told me some things about herself before that. Why she’s on the run, what she’s looking for.”

“Do you believe her? She may not have done everything the Marines claim, but she is far from innocent.”

The older man’s eyes drifted to the shrine. “As you said, it isn’t only _your_ dream you carry. I entrusted you with the sword that was to be Kuina’s because you understood the importance of her dream better than I, so I believed you most worthy to carry it.”

Zoro’s head dropped as his master’s words fell on him like hailstones. The weight of his judgment joined with Zoro’s own frustration with himself and made it hard to breathe.

“You say you don’t care if others consider you a demon. Have you considered that traveling with this woman may make you one, in fact as well as rumor? Do you believe you will still be worthy to carry the Wado Ichimonji then?”

“Yes,” Zoro replied. His head rose, grey eyes meeting his master’s. Doubts about himself aside, on this at least, Zoro’s mind was clear.

“I will still be worthy, because it won’t happen. And if it does, it won’t be Robin’s fault. Even if I didn’t always know her name, I know _her_. Robin isn’t a demon. A demon wouldn’t risk revealing herself to the Marines to rescue some kids. A demon would leave me behind in Shells Town to be executed by corrupt Marines instead of looking after me. A demon would _kill me_ after I lost control and attacked her first, instead of just knocking me out and giving me a second chance.”

Koshiro stiffened in shock, but now it was Zoro who was relentless. “She’s been alone, and that’s made her cautious and scared. It doesn’t make her evil. It makes her a survivor. She trusted me to protect her. I trust her not to lead me off-course.”

Zoro rose to his feet, no trace of doubt visible as he stared down his teacher. “If you really think I don’t deserve to wield this sword, that I’m disgracing Kuina’s memory and dream, say so, and I’ll place it back on the shrine.” 

He pulled Wado from his hip and held it out, awaiting judgement. Calm outside, his heart raced within. When Koshiro remained silent, Zoro placed it back at his side, bowed once to his teacher, once to Kuina’s picture. He left, speaking over his shoulder.

“Good night, Sensei.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Koshiro, some time in the past: Zoro, you must control your emotions when you fight.
> 
> Zoro: I'm always ready to fight, so you're saying I should always feel nothing.
> 
> Koshiro: No, not at all. That is a horrible idea.
> 
> Zoro: Too late.
> 
> Also, I've turned Koshiro into Sitcom Dad. He gave Robin the shovel talk last chapter, and now Zoro got, "if you live in my house, er use my family's sword, you're going to live by my rules!" I do think that, if Koshiro demanded Wado back, Zoro would return it, even if it hurt him to do so.


	39. Strawhats Interlude 2: Orange Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buggy gets his first look at the kid Shanks is so ga-ga over.
> 
> He's exactly what he expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally had this planned for after we got resolution between Robin and Zoro, but that was when Shimotsuki Village was only going to be two-chapter thing. Plus, work shit put in a frame of mind where I needed to focus on a more humorous chapter.
> 
> As with his last appearance in Chapter 7, I'll mention Buggy is way OOC here because he's based on stereden's version of Buggy from "Watashitachi wa Roger Kaizoku desu".

Buggy was having a fairly flashy day. Not the flashiest day, but not completely dull, either. That didn’t mean it was a _good_ day, mind you. “Flashy” could mean a lot of things. Frequently “interesting” or “exciting”. Often “stylish”. None of those words were strictly synonymous with “good”.

Take the current situation. It wasn’t news to Buggy that Nico Robin was running around the East Blue, or that she’d been partnered with the Pirate Hunter for the last year-and-a-half. That she’d allowed her cover to be blown was surprising. For once, the Marines actually kept whatever they were doing on that island a secret, even from him. He wondered what it had been that made her step into the spotlight. Knowing the Marines and the World Government, nothing good. That whole _“slaughtered an orphanage”_ thing they were accusing the pair of was so obviously a load of crap. Like the World Government gave a shit about orphans. They were the single greatest producer of orphans in the world, when they weren’t just killing the children alongside the parents.

Of course, now that it was known Nico Robin was loose in the East Blue, the Marines were more active than they’d been in years. By itself, not a huge concern, seeing as East Blue Marines were mostly the bottom of the barrel. Between the (now deposed) Axe-Hand Morgan, the (now arrested) double-dealing scumbag Nezumi, and that lazy sack of octopus droppings Commodore Hardy, there wasn’t much to worry about. Buggy and his guys could sail rings around those losers, even while pretending to be small-time.

So, no big deal. The fact _Monkey D. Fucking Garp_ was not only back in the East Blue, but on the prowl, was another matter. Garp could be very flashy, if you were impressed by people who can level a city block with a single punch. (Buggy certainly was, especially if those people aimed those punches his way.) Between Garp’s strength and general unpredictability that comes with being a D, he was exciting, but definitely not in a good way.

Good news, this was the time of year Garp usually showed up for vacation and/or to torment his grandkid anyway, so Buggy had already been prepared to lay low before all this shit blew up. Orange Town was a deserted village he and his crew could hide out in. The locals on the other side of the island would keep quiet, since Buggy occasionally tested rookie pirates he encountered here, and any money the Marines paid in damages went to the residents.

That wasn’t flashy, but it was safe for him and his crew. Or meant to be.

Then the thief showed up. Slip of a girl, hair the color of tangerines. Buggy knew the rumors of a girl who robbed pirates, he guessed this was her. Certainly required flash to steal from pirates, not to mention guts. She was pretty good, silent and careful. If not for his Observation Haki, and her clearly not knowing how to disguise her Voice, he’d never known she was there. She picked the locks on his chests faster than Mohji could tie his shoes. She was fast too, seeing as the Domingos were having to work just to keep up with her.

Most interesting, she only stole his map of Paradise. The one he swiped from Shells Town amid all the confusion after Morgan was brought down. (By Nico and Roronoa, no less.) What the hell a lone teenager had planned for that, he couldn’t guess.

On the other hand, maybe she wasn’t alone, because the Domingos came back, reporting they got beat up by some kid the thief called “boss.” 

A kid who fell out of the fucking sky somehow.

A kid wearing a straw hat.

A kid who showed up shortly, being towed along by said thief.

And that’s how Buggy finally meets the brat Shanks has been going on about for a decade. Flashy in that it’s interesting, but not good, because the kid is a _complete idiot_. He’s just sitting there in the cage Buggy threw him in after the girl marched up and turned him in.

“Here you go, boss,” she’s trying for ingratiating, but the amount of loathing churning under the surface is making Buggy nauseous. “This is the guy who caused trouble earlier.”

Buggy can’t believe she thinks this will work. Like the Domingos didn’t report how she sicced Straw Hat on them in the first place! Not to mention the Funan Brothers showed up not long ago in a different dinghy, reporting their ship was stolen by a sneaky girl with orange hair. Does she really get away with crap like this?

(Then he remembers even the higher-level crews in the East Blue are led by vainglorious idiots. Don Krieg would absolutely fall for this if she flattered him enough. Alvida, too.)

He’ll play along. Why pass up the opportunity for a test? “Oh he is, is he? What kind of bastard thinks he can mess with my flashy crew?!”

Buggy struts forward, then detaches one eye, which makes her jump in surprise. He floats it through the bars of the cage to hover in front of the brat. The kid doesn’t flinch. Instead he grins hugely, in a way that’s painfully familiar.

“That’s so cool! Can you detach that silly nose, too?” 

“What’d you say about my nose?! How dare you? Who do you think you are?” You’d think Buggy would be used to the comments about his nose, but sometimes they slip past his guard.

The kid doesn’t hesitate. “I’m Luffy and I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!”

On Buggy’s signal, his crew burst into jeering laughter. The thief looks dumbfounded by the brat, but the smile and conviction don’t waver. No surprise there. Shanks said the kid was stubborn as they come. That’ll only get him so far.

“Alright newbie,” Buggy turns to her, and she dredges up an eager-to-please smile from somewhere deep and throws it on her face. “If you’re going to join Buggy’s Band of Pirates, you have to prove your flashiness! So why don’t you give this loudmouth a Buggy Ball send-off!”

Mohji aims the cannon for her, and Buggy hands her the punk. She lights the fuse, hesitantly, and Buggy waits for Straw Hat to do something. Break free, cry for mercy, yell, anything.

The brat doesn’t budge. Just sits there, like he’s waiting for something. Entirely unconcerned. Buggy wonders if the kid can see through him somehow, can tell he’s not actually going to let the cannon blow the kid up, but the thief makes her own move. She produces a sectioned staff and finds enough strength somewhere in that scrawny body to lever the cannon over so it’s aimed at _him_. It’s far from his biggest cannon, but still.

 _‘Well, that’s a hell of a move,’_ he thinks as he shoots one hand out to pluck the fuse and the girl turns to run. “Cabaji!”

His swordsman hops on the unicycle and zooms towards her, blade raised. He won’t kill her, she’ll get a flesh wound at worst. Hopefully teach her to be more careful about trying to double-cross pirates. 

Cabaji never gets to her.

 **“Gum-Gum Stamp!”** A foot stretches out through the bars and catches his swordsman squarely in the ribs. It sends Cabaji flying through the building behind him. Buggy remembers he didn’t warn his crew the kid had a Devil Fruit. In his defense, he didn’t plan to see him here. He was going to wait until Straw Hat at least had a crew and was starting to build a rep, before he tested him.

A second later, Straw Hat is inflating himself to loosen the ropes. Then he wriggles and flattens his way through the bars. He stands next to the thief, laughing.

“Thanks for not letting them blow me up, Nami!”

“You idiot!” she shrieks. “If you could break out the whole time, why didn’t you do it sooner?”

“You told me to act like your prisoner.”

Nami sighs heavily, shoulders sagging for a moment. Then she perks up and claps Luffy on the back. “I’ll leave these guys to you, boss!”

“My name’s Luffy, not Boss!”

 _‘Seas alive, he’s even dumber than Benn and Lucky said.’_ Buggy watches the thief slip away. Probably planning to raid his treasure hoard. Buggy grips three knives between the fingers of one hand and throws it at her retreating back. No Haki, about half-speed. Straw Hat smacks it away easily.

“Hey! No attacking my first nakama in the back!”

“We’re pirates! We can attack people from behind if we want!”

 **“Gum-Gum Pistol!”** It’s a decent punch, if it made contact. Kid telegraphs it like crazy, though. Even without Observation Haki, it’s not hard to dodge. Buggy pops his head into the air, and lets the fist sail through the space where his neck used to be. The kid tries variations on the same move a couple more times, and Buggy keeps detaching whatever he needs to. After the latest punch, he decides to goad the brat.

“Nyah-ha-ha! You aren’t nearly flashy enough to tangle with me!” 

Which is about the time Straw Hat’s arm retracts and the bucket it grabbed from somewhere captures Buggy’s head. Next thing he knows, Straw Hat’s palming his skull and smiling.

“You were right! Attacking people from behind is fun!”

 _‘Guess I floated into that one.’_ Buggy’s head lunges forward and bites the brat’s cheek. The rest of his crew stands there watching as Luffy runs madly around the town square, trying to pull Buggy off his face. Once he does, he throws Buggy’s head as far as he can, but he just floats his way back down to his body.

“Biting! You meanie! **Gum-Gum Bell Bite!** ” Luffy throws his head back, then lets it fly forward, jaws open. He gets bit, so he decides to bite back? Jeez, the kid has zero sense. Buggy could throw a dagger right between his eyes.

He uses a fist instead. With just a little Armament to hopefully make the lesson about not attacking head-on all the time stick. The kid clutches his head when it snaps back.

“Ow! That hurt! You punch like my Gramps!”

Why is Buggy not surprised Garp would use Armament Haki against his grandkid, but not actually teach said grandkid how to use or defend against it? He throws some knives, sends a boot out with a blade in the toes, just to see if the kid has any sense at all. The rubber idiot at least knows enough to dodge those, but his offense is pretty easy to avoid.

 _‘Might as well try needling him a little.’_ “Where’s you get that dumb hat?”

“My hat’s not dumb!” the kid shoots back. “Shanks gave this to me. He said to give it back when I’m King of the Pirates!”

“Shanks? That jerk gave you that hat? Then I’ll just take it and burn it!” Buggy will not be burning Captain’s hat, now or ever, but for the first time, Straw Hat gets something resembling a serious expression on his face. 

“No you won’t! **Gum-Gum Gatling!** ”

The barrage is enough Buggy splits his upper body and weaves between them. The punches keep coming, and they’re fast enough Buggy gets caught up in dodging them. So much he’s unprepared when Straw Hat launches one foot and nails Buggy right in the nuts.

He lets out a high-pitched groan as his entire crew’s hands move to their groins in sympathy. The kid just laughs.

“OK, fine,” Buggy mutters, reminding himself not to murder Shanks’ protégé, **“Chop-Chop Festival!”**

He scatters his entire body and throws everything at Straw Hat. A few parts – the hands, the feet – have blades, but the rest don’t. Buggy uses those to try and confuse him. Doesn’t work, which is encouraging. Kid can at least focus enough to recognize the real threat. The girl pops out from around a corner, carrying a sack full of his treasure. Buggy’s eyebrow twitches as he turns to his crew.

“Come on, guys! Are none of you watching the loot? She just ripped us off!”

Mohji scratches the back of his head, embarrassed. “Sorry Captain, we got caught up watching your fight!”

“I am impressively flashy, but that’s our treasure!”

“No it isn’t!” Nami shouts. “You stole it from someone else, and I stole it from you, so that makes it mine!” Then she sticks out her tongue at the lot of them. Cheeky. Before they can get more than two steps towards the thief, Straw Hat’s leg swings out to the side and arcs around to slam into them. 

“ **Gum-Gum Whip!** That was really funny, Nami!”

Buggy can tell the girl is just as confused by Straw Hat as he is. More probably, since Buggy understands the kid is a D, and also related to Garp, which means he’s doubly nuts. She’s trying to maintain the same anger towards him she feels towards Buggy, but it’s slipping by the moment. 

Buggy has other concerns. A quick check with Haki says while none of his guys are hurt too badly, they’re going to be laid up for a couple of days at least. Not something that makes him very happy. They’re his band of lunatics, and he doesn’t take kindly to anyone hurting them.

He’s going to give the brat a few gentle swats with Haki-coated limbs when he feels someone messing with his foot. Looking down from where his head’s floating, he sees Straw Hat pulling off Buggy’s shoe and – oh no, that little bastard wouldn’t.

“Tickle tickle!”

Buggy’s thrown enough to lose control, and flesh falls from the sky like someone just blew up a delicatessen. He struggles to focus as the brat keeps up the disgusting, entirely dishonorable attack and is finally able to bring down the heel of his other foot on the kid’s rubber dome. Yeah, he uses a little more Armament this time, but he hates the sensation of losing control of his parts, reminding him of times someone got seastone on him while he was separated. 

“Ow!” Straw Hat clutches his head, letting go of the captured foot in the process, and Buggy gives him a kick with it, this time in the jaw. No Armament, but enough force the kid’s neck stretches ten feet into the air before it snaps back. Kid shakes it off, though, and looks ready for more.

Buggy really ought to wrap this up. He's seen enough for now.

“Enough fooling around, Straw Hat! I’ll finish you off quickly, and I won’t even use my Chop-Chop powers to do it!” 

If he pulls himself together, it gives the brat an easy chance to land a good hit and end the fight. Buggy can take it.

When he goes to recombine though, he comes up a little. . . short. Looking around, the thief has bundled his limbs and torso together with a length of rope, and is standing there with one foot on them, looking smug.

“Lose something?” Straw Hat laughs like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever seen. Now that he sees what’s happened, Buggy could still control them. Could easily draw them back from right underneath Nami. Or throw a knife and cut the ropes. But this’ll work for a finish, as Straw Hat runs up, arms stretched out behind him.

**“Gum-Gum Bazooka!”**

The hit sends him flying, but he can see his crew already tracking his progress. They’ll make sure he doesn’t land in the ocean or anywhere too dangerous. 

_‘Cheerful kid.’_ Buggy will give him that. 

_‘Hope he can maintain it.’_ If Shanks is right about him, he probably can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, next chapter, back to Robin and Zoro. Who are finally, really, going to talk about things. Like the weather.


	40. Hour of Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Revolutionaries are almost there. Which means Robin and Zoro are out of time.
> 
> Are they joining the Revolutionaries, and sticking with the children, or going their own way?
> 
> Either way, is their time together at an end?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro have told me if I don't let them actually talk about the important things in this chapter, they will leave this story. Robin is already scouting Modern World AUs where she can run a bookstore/coffee shop. Of course, Zoro would probably get lost on the way there and end up in some Gravity Falls Stancest story, so better to give these two what they want.

The next morning found Robin, Zoro, and the children back in the clearing while the low fog from the stream still blanketed the area. Zoro settled under the same tree as yesterday and fell sleep immediately. 

Robin let him be. After his tense conversation with his teacher, Zoro returned to the field from the night before for hours. Moving through katas relentlessly, as well as attempting the techniques he’d learned from Le Renard. When he returned, sweaty and dirty, he settled into a cross-legged seat in one corner, Kuina’s sword held in front of him at arm’s length as he meditated. For several hours more. He didn’t stir until Saitaro arrived near dawn with breakfast and some packed lunches.

Robin spent the morning helping the children practice what she taught them the day before until they grew restless. Then she stood back, watching everything, seeing nothing. Her thoughts and emotions whirled endlessly. She wanted to know what he’d been thinking last night. Wanted to apologize for even unintentionally causing a rift between he and his teacher. To know if he meant what he said. Fearing the answer, that he’d be angry she listened in.

(She’d been so stunned by his fierce defense of her, she almost lost control of the ear on his back. 

Zoro didn’t lie. He wouldn’t say it unless he believed it. Right?)

While the children started in on a game, she approached Zoro. She’d wait until he awoke, and then talk, no matter how it turned out. Before she’d even taken her seat, Zoro spoke up. His voice its usual low rumble, no trace of drowsiness.

“Wondered how long it was gonna take.”

“Pardon?”

“For you to make up your mind and come over.”

“Were you watching me?”

He shook his head, eyes still closed. Robin watched the children do something involving pine cones. “I’m getting pretty good at feeling you with this other sense. Think I can sense emotions, too.”

Surprise and curiosity grappled with panic. Robin’s ability to hide her true feelings and motives kept her alive on several occasions. If people other than Zoro could see through her. . .

His calm voice cut through the confusion, easing her mind as he finally opened his eyes. “Relax. I’m not sure of that. Just sometimes you feel. . . different. It’s still you, but like you’re a different color, or something. I see different things in my head depending on how you feel.”

The swordsman grimaced. That wasn’t likely to satisfy her, but he couldn’t describe it better. It wasn’t what they needed to talk about anyway, and he was tired of dancing around.

(He was just. . . tired. In many ways. Not being able to sleep was unusual for him. It was usually easy to put his thoughts aside, but now it didn’t matter how tired he was, his mind wouldn’t settle.)

“You going with the kids tonight? Join the Revolutionaries?”

“I hadn’t planned to. Would you like to do that?”

“Not really. Don’t know those guys or what they’re like, not sure I want to fight their battles for ‘em.” He watched the children with her. “Not like I’d get to spend my time looking after them and chasing my dream if I did.”

“True. The Revolutionaries are badly outmatched in numbers and power by the World Government and the Marines. We’d be kept busy.”

“The two of us keep following our dreams together, then?”

“Do you really want that, Zoro?” She tried not to sound too hopeful. “Don’t feel as though you have to stay because of your promise to help me.”

Zoro sighed. “Weren’t you paying attention last night? Like I told Sensei, I trust you.” Before she could reply, “Don’t deny you were listening.” 

“I won’t.” She could try to explain, but it would just be excuses. “Is that why you said it, you knew I was eavesdropping?”

He looked at her from the corner of his eye. “I said it ‘cause _both_ of you needed to hear it. You needed to know I trust you, whatever your name is. Sensei needed to know my level of conviction.”

“I don’t want to cause a rift between the two of you.” It hurt to hear Koshiro question Zoro’s character simply because of his association with her. She should be used to it, but being treated like a stain or poison still stung.

Zoro shook his head. “If there’s a rift, it’s from what **I’m** doing. He knows we did the right thing fighting those Marines, but it bugs him to see me with a bounty. Makes him think he didn’t teach me properly, that I’m not acting honorably.”

She chuckled. “It’s difficult to picture you not acting honorably, Mister Roronoa.”

“That mean you trust me? Really trust me?”

He turned to face her fully now, and she mirrored him. His gaze, intense and searching. Of course it was. If she said no, or lied, it meant she still doubted. She knew how much his word meant to him, how hard he worked to keep it. It was her fears that kept her from accepting it at each stage. 

“Yes, Zoro,” she answered as earnestly as she could. “I know I often haven’t acted that way, and I’m sorry. In the past, I met people I thought I could trust. I don’t mean pirates. When I was a child, I tried to take refuge with ordinary farmers or shopkeepers more than once. They always called the Marines, or their friends and neighbors to capture me. If not immediately, as soon as they thought I was asleep. Either out of greed, or because they believed the Marines. That I was a monster.”

"I grew to expect my true identity was a curse." She smiled. “But even when you learned who I was, you defended me. Saved me.”

Zoro shrugged, eyes clouded. “After that Marine said that stuff, I felt stupid for a minute. Like it made sense why you were so cautious around Marines, never coming along to turn in bounties. Or why you didn’t care if people dismissed you as my woman or whatever. Because you didn't want anyone to put it together.” 

His gaze cleared. “But I couldn’t square what he said you did with how you acted since we met.” 

Now he eyed her appraisingly. “Unless you wanna try again to convince me Raserei was just an act? That none of her is really you?”

The swordsman’s tone suggested how stupid he found that. Robin laughed ruefully. “Raserei is a person I’d like to be. Robin has lived a more questionable life.” 

Gespenst Raserei had friends. At least one, anyway. And other people who liked and trusted her (She wondered what Johnny, Yosaku, Isabellae, the people of Cozia, thought of her now.) Raserei hadn’t been a criminal – minus cheating at cards and the occasional shoplifting – or had to help criminals, simply to further her dream.

Zoro extended one open hand, palm up. He let it sit there between them. Giving her the choice. For once in her life, Robin didn’t hesitate to reach out. She placed her hand on his, the two clasping each other gently. 

“Because Robin had to survive alone,” Zoro countered. “Raserei didn’t. You still don’t if you’re Robin again. You’ve got at least one person you don’t have to be afraid around.”

He grinned at her and added, “I just hope Robin is smarter about sharing life-threatening information than Raserei.” 

Robin felt a similar grin on her face. “I think you’re right. Together then, Mister Swordsman?”

“Together, Miss Archaeologist.”

The moment was broken as Peter dashed up. “Miss Robin, Mister Zoro, come play with us!”

The boy stopped and inspected the scene more closely.

“Were you two about to kiss?”

* * *

“I have it again,” Robin called, holding the “ball” – the head of one of Zoro’s training dummies – in her hand.

Peter bounded forward, and Robin tossed it to a hand waiting in a tree. Sano flung an arm outward that shackled its wrist, but Robin simply spawned another arm to pluck it away.

The children groaned in frustration. “No fair!” “Miss Nico, come on!” “Miss Robin cheats!”

“Seriously, Robin, keep-away’s not much of a game if you use your powers.”

“Are you saying you aren’t up for the challenge, Zoro?”

“You’re the one who said I couldn’t cut the trees down.”

“Perhaps we could go back to hide-and-seek.”

“You going to agree not to make eyes pop up all over the forest?”

“But if I don’t, you might wander into the ocean to be swallowed by a whale and we’d never find you, Mister Swordsman.”

“Hey!”

* * *

It was the middle of the night when the two Revolutionaries arrived. One a short but cheerful woman, the other a towering Fishman. The children shrank back at the sight of him, except Peter, who seemed fascinated.

“Did you eat a Devil Fruit like me?”

The Revolutionary shook his head, amused smile on his face. “No, I was born this way.”

The Zoan processed this with a thoughtful nod.

“I appreciate you were able to arrive so quickly,” Koshiro said, there to act as intermediary.

“We were in the East Blue investigating a rumor about the Marines being up to something nasty. Which I guess you took care of, so it worked out,” the young woman replied breezily. “Hi, I’m Koala and this is Hack. It looks like you’re all ready to go?”

The kids nodded silently, packs of extra clothes and supplies Koshiro gathered on their shoulders. They started forward, then paused and looked to Robin and Zoro. The duo stood in front like sentinels, watching these new arrivals carefully. Koala recognized she and Hack were being sized up. If these two didn’t like what they saw, they’d kill them.

Koala watched them right back. She knew the charges against them were bogus (well, not the part about dead Marines, but she wasn’t shedding tears over anyone who would participate in that atrocity), but their reputations existed before this. She doubted they weren’t capable of living up to them.

Still, watching them say their good-byes, it was hard to believe these two could have the Marines so riled up. They took turns saying farewells, one of them keeping eyes on her and Hack at all times.

Nico Robin hugged each child tightly, whispering something that made the child laugh or at least nod. Roronoa tried to just awkwardly ruffle hair, but when each one insisted on hugs, he obliged, pretending it was a chore, but giving a comforting squeeze all the same. It sounded like he gave advice on training to a couple of them.

“I guess neither of you wants to come along?” she asked once they finished.

Robin shook her head. “Our courses don’t match those of your organization.”

Koala wasn’t surprised about Roronoa, whose rep said he wasn’t terribly social or prone to following orders (even if his rep _also_ suggested he might have enjoyed the kind of mayhem and destruction Sabo usually caused). She thought Nico Robin might have appreciated the benefits of the Revolutionaries’ resources. On the other hand, maybe she figured there was already a big enough bullseye on her, she didn’t need to step on a larger one by working for the World’s Most Wanted Man.

Nico nodded to Roronoa, who stepped forward and hefted a small sack. She explained, “Those are Devil Fruits we were able to find on the island. I trust you’ll be more humane in how you use their power than the World Government was.”

“We aren’t going to run life-threatening experiments on anyone with them, if that’s what you’re asking,” Hack responded wryly. 

“Good, because if we couldn’t trust you with those, we certainly couldn’t trust you with the children.” Nico’s tone was polite, but it was a shark’s fin, hinting at the teeth just below the surface.

“Understood. The Revolutionaries took me in when I was the same age as some of you,” Koala told the kids. “I’m not going to say it’s a life of leisure, but there’s an island that quietly supports us where there are some nice farm villages. You won’t be the only other kids, either. There’s a school, too.”

Mina was the only one who seemed pleased at that last part. Hack spoke up. “You should know, the Marines are scouring the East Blue for you two. Rumor is Vice-Admiral Garp is around. I don’t know if he’s been assigned to hunt you, but he’s the highest-ranking Marine in this sea, so there’s a decent chance.”

“It’ll either be him, or they’ll tell Captain Smoker to leave his comfy seat in Lougetown for once,” Koala agreed.

The children cast worried glances towards the two adults. Roronoa didn’t look concerned, which Koala figured meant he was overconfident, or an idiot. On the other hand, Nico was clearly already making new plans. Koala really wished they could convince her to join, but she wasn’t going to plead. Someone that wasn’t committed would be someone difficult to rely on.

“Thank you for the information,” the Last Oharan said.

“Koala, Hack, some supplies for the journey. Hopefully they will prove helpful.” Koshiro gestured to a few sacks of rice and vegetables set off to one side. Hack hefted them onto his shoulders easily.

“We’d better get moving if we want to be well on our way by sunrise.”

“He’s right,” Koala agreed. “Kids, we’re going through town to the docks, so everybody needs to move quietly, OK?”

The children nodded, and the procession started on its way down the hill towards the coast. Each of the kids turned back to wave to Robin and Zoro at least once. Each time, the pair returned the wave, staying in that place until the children were out of sight. Which with Robin’s powers, took longer than it would for most people. Koala could feel the archaeologist’s gaze on her back the whole way.

Finally, though, Robin turned to the swordsman. “We should get going as well, Zoro. Master Koshiro, thank you for your assistance and your hospitality.”

Koshiro inclined his head in acknowledgement. “Safe journeys, Miss Nico. I hope you find what you seek.”

Zoro turned to face Koshiro, and bowed low. “Farewell, Sensei. I don’t know when I’ll be this way again.”

The older man regarded him with amusement, and returned the bow. “I imagine it won’t be quite as difficult with Miss Nico to navigate, but I understand. I continue to entrust you with Kuina’s dream. I know you will honor it.”

* * *

Hours later, the sun was just crawling over the horizon as Pipit sailed under clear skies. Robin kept one hand on the helm, correcting course occasionally. Zoro stood at the bow, lifting weights at a steady pace, counting silently. 

They’d been quiet for over an hour when the swordsman spoke.

“We made the right call not bringing the kids with us.” It was a statement, but the element of doubt in his tone was unusual.

“Yes. If the Marines are hunting us as fiercely as the Revolutionaries said, the children would be in grave danger.”

“Right.”

They fell silent again.

“I miss them too, Zoro.”

“Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure about using Koala and Hack for the two Revolutionaries, but I figured if I said they'd come to investigate rumors of a secret Marine base - only took them 4 years longer to hear of it than Robin, great hustle - it could work.
> 
> Anyway, I do have some ideas on how to bring the kids back in eventually, besides having them call Robin and Zoro every so often.


	41. Showing Their Age

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro are back on their own as they try to get out of the East Blue. But there's time to train, time to talk, and a sudden problem is going to force a side trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That last chapter was supposed to go up on the 11th, not the 10th. Well, hopefully nobody got annoyed yesterday waiting for this chapter.

By two days out from Shimotsuki, headed for Loguetown, Robin and Zoro fell back into their routines. The silences were frequent again, but comfortable. Although they were both aware of how quiet it was now that their other passengers were elsewhere. Robin handled steering and navigating while she read. Zoro trained with swords or weights, or through Robin helping him hone the extra sense he discovered.

Zoro’s progress was accelerating. By now, Robin was hurling objects from three or four limbs at a time, and the swordsman was dodging or deflecting all of them. Robin was scattering and blooming new limbs all around the ship, tossing objects between them in an attempt to confuse Zoro, but he seemed able to track her easily.

Less than a week ago, that realization would have terrified Robin. Now she was more curious about the limits of this ability. 

_‘I wonder if he could deflect a bullet?’_

As Zoro dodged another pebble he turned towards the rear of the ship, where Robin was sitting comfortably.

“You might have to step it up,” he challenged. “Or can you not attack any faster?”

He tilted his head to one side to dodge a fish head left over from last night’s dinner as it hurtled past from an arm behind him. He smirked. The smirk was instantly erased as Robin bloomed an arm from his shoulder and smacked him upside the head.

“What was that, Mister Swordsman?” 

“Yeah, you got me,” he admitted. He sensed the arm, but by the time he understood what it meant, it was too late. He’d have to keep improving his reflexes.

“Hold off for a bit, OK?” One of the arms waved in acknowledgement before dispersing, and Zoro turned to other matters. 

Sheathing two of his blades, he held Wado in one hand while propping an ordinary block of wood up in front of him. Closing his eyes, he took slow, deep breaths, and tried to reach out towards the block. He’d gotten very good at sensing Robin, and by the time they parted, the kids. Even in just the few days they were there, he grew able to find Sensei and Saitaro with minimal effort. Things other than people were another matter. He couldn’t feel the block at all, even as he knew it was right there. 

Dividing his concentration between his search and his sword, he swung the white katana in front of him, and heard the top half of the block tumble over as he cleaved it easily. 

_‘It’s still not right.’_

Robin observed her partner curiosity bubbling. While it was far from the most impressive feat of swordsmanship she’d seen him achieve, Zoro cut the block in half with no appreciable effort. Yet he seemed disappointed, if his frustrated sigh was any indication.

She waited patiently as he sheathed his treasured sword, set the now two wood blocks off to one side, and made his way to where she sat, settling on the deck next to her chair. He did this regularly now, either napping peacefully, chatting about random things, or simply enjoy the peace.

Robin could tell he was thinking about something, and couldn’t help wondering aloud.

“What were you trying for, if not to cut the block?”

“My Sensei said great swordsman can not only cut whatever they choose, but also not cut anything they choose. I was trying to not cut the block at all. To not even scratch it.” 

“Did you ask for clarification while we were there?”

* * *

_Their last night at the dojo. Robin and Saitaro helped the children gather what possessions they could before the Revolutionaries arrived. Zoro stood with Koshiro in the field nearby, watching the moonlight flow over the grass as the wind waved it back and forth. Whatever the current strain between them over Zoro’s other decisions, they could still discuss swordsmanship easily._

_“Sensei, could you repeat what you once told me about cutting everything and nothing?”_

_The older man, hands hidden within the sleeves of his robe, nodded, and repeated what he said many years earlier. Zoro listened with the quiet intensity he normally carried when it came to training._

_When Koshiro finished, he studied his pupil closely. “Have you become able to sense the breath of the world?”_

_“I don’t know. I can sense Robin and the kids, you and Saitaro, with some other sense, but I don’t know if it’s what you’re talking about. Don’t exactly want to swing a sword at them to find out.”_

_“Let us test it.” Koshiro returned to the dojo, reappearing minutes later with a piece of a paper and a training sword. When Zoro indicated he was ready, Koshiro tossed the paper in the air, and Zoro drew Wado in a single smooth motion which sliced through it as easily as, well, as a sword through a sheet of paper._

_“I guess not,” the younger man said._

_Koshiro hummed thoughtfully from where he stood behind his student. Without warning he swung the bokken at Zoro’s side. The bounty hunter parried without even looking. Koshiro unleashed several more attacks. Zoro, understanding the test, kept his back turned and parried each strike._

_Halting his attacks, Koshiro closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. “You’re correct Zoro. You haven’t yet found that desire to protect. However, you have unlocked another ability, possibly as rare. I don’t possess it, but it is known as Haki.”_

* * *

“He said it’s about being in tune with the breath of the world. He couldn’t really tell me what that was, other than everything in the world is part of it. That I have to find what I want to protect, and understand what that means.”

“Does he have the ability himself?”

“Kind of. I’m not sure he can cut steel, but when I asked him about it as a kid, he showed he could keep himself from cutting a piece of paper.”

“That doesn’t seem like much of an accomplishment. I imagine an infant could say the same, fufufufu.”

“No,” Zoro's sharp tone cut off her laughter instantly. “A baby might be too weak to use a sword, but that’s different from having enough control and awareness to keep from doing it. I might already have the strength to cut steel, but I’m lacking something else.”

“Perhaps the book you found on Wano would have useful information? It was about great swordsmen.”

“It’s mostly about great battles they waged, not so much techniques.”

Robin considered his problem. It sounded as though Zoro needed to find someone else to train under, that he had progressed as far as he could under Koshiro’s guidance alone. That might prove difficult with his new bounty. She felt out of her depth, but there had to be some way.

“I can look for more books when we reach Loguetown,” she offered. “Perhaps we’ll find something useful.”

“Hmm.” Zoro didn’t think the odds were great, but it was something.

“In the meantime,” the historian continued, “you mentioned control and awareness are important. A desire to protect. Perhaps instead of extending your senses outward, you should focus them on yourself and your swords. They are meant to be an extension of yourself, correct?”

Zoro nodded, turning that over in his mind. He thought he was already pretty much in sync with Kuina’s blade. Of course, he once thought he was close to strong enough to defeat Mihawk, until Robin showed him otherwise. Six months ago, the notion of unlocking an entirely new sense wouldn’t have occurred to him.

He’d find a way to keep improving.

“Do you want to learn?”

Robin, having gone back to her book while Zoro thought, looked up again. “Learn what, Zoro?”

“This Haki thing.”

“It’s rather difficult to evade my notice, Zoro.”

“Yeah, but you’ve seen how it helps me avoid attacks, right? Any extra warning wouldn’t hurt.”

“I’m not certain I want to have you hurling items at my head, Mister Swordsman. I prefer to avoid concussions.”

“I wouldn’t throw them that hard,” he grumbled.

* * *

Robin and Zoro remained at the stern as the sun fell towards the horizon, enjoying dinner. The wind died, so the sails were drawn in, letting _Pipit_ simply drift.

“What’s our next step?” Zoro asked. “You mentioned Loguetown.”

“That’s the last island before the entrance to the Grand Line, so it’s a major seaport and resupply point for anyone leaving the East Blue,” Robin explained. “Unfortunately, that means it’s packed with pirates, and therefore, the Marine presence is stronger, primarily in the form of Captain Smoker.”

“Since we have bounties with up-to-date pictures, Smoker will undoubtedly be expecting us to try and escape the East Blue.”

Zoro snorted. “Those Revolutionaries mentioned him. Is he a big deal? ‘Cause other than the captain at that secret base, the Marines around here are a joke.”

Robin was deadly serious. “We need to avoid him at all costs. If we fight him, even together, we’ll lose.”

“Really?” As expected, Zoro was intrigued rather than concerned.

“He has the Moku Moku no Mi, which is a Logia Devil Fruit.” At Zoro’s uncomprehending look, she elaborated. “Logia means his body can become the very substance and produce more of it. In this case, smoke. I can’t break limbs made of smoke, nor will you be able to harm him by cutting.”

By the swordsman’s frown, he understood the danger now. “Smoker also carries a jitte tipped with seastone, which will incapacitate me with a touch. What’s worse, he is, by all accounts an honest and dedicated Marine.”

“Was starting to wonder if any of those existed.”

“They’re exceedingly rare, and as we’re criminals now, even the honest ones are dangerous. No pirate crew that stopped at Loguetown since Smoker was posted there reached the Grand Line.”

Robin produced a rough map of the sea to illustrate their location. Zoro eyed it. “Why not just cut across to the Grand Line here?”

“It’s highly improbable we would survive the Calm Belt. There are no winds to propel us, and it’s full of Sea Kings. They could destroy _Pipit_ without even noticing. I know you’d keep me from drowning, but we would likely end up eaten alive. Being dissolved by stomach acid sounds most unpleasant.”

Zoro let her morbid observation pass without comment, used to them by now. “Huh. There’s some weird shit out there.”

“Indeed.”

Zoro swirled his bottle of sake idly and stared at the sea. Despite the direness of their situation, he looked relaxed, even thoughtful. “You were going to tell me more about Devil Fruits. If we’re going to be running into more wild stuff, maybe now is a good time.”

“Certainly,” Robin said agreeably. “What would you like to start with?”

His gaze swung to her, normal stern expression back. “This seastone stuff is bad for you, and you can’t swim. At all. There any other things I need to be worried about taking you down?”

Robin couldn’t help laughing at his blunt approach. “You mean specific to Devil Fruit users? Not that I’m aware of. I’m still vulnerable to swords, bullets, poisons and blunt impact trauma. I try very hard to avoid all of those things.”

“Good strategy.”

“Yes, it is,” she agreed with a smile. “I keep hoping you’ll adopt it one of these days. It would reduce the amount we spend on bandages considerably.”

“I told you I can’t allow myself to be afraid of being cut when I fight,” Zoro defended. “If I’m too worried about that, I’m not focused on winning. Or on protecting you,” he added a moment later.

“You bleeding out is hardly helpful in accomplishing either of those goals.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s not about taking injuries for the hell of it. Sometimes you have to take a wound to deliver a better wound. If all my concentration is on not getting hurt, I miss opportunities to finish the fight. The longer it goes, the more that can go wrong.”

Robin could see the logic in that. She certainly preferred to end fights as swiftly as possible, barring limitations like trying to keep her powers and identity a secret.

“It’s that important to you to win?”

“I may be defeated, but I’m not going to turn and run. Pursuing a dream means I can’t be afraid to take risks.” Zoro studied her, and Robin felt transparent before him.

“You get that, even if you pretend you don’t. It’s dangerous for you to chase this Poneglyph, because people know you’re looking for them. They know there’s information they want. You could find a quiet island and hide, be safe, but you don’t. Even though you didn’t trust Johnny, Yosaku or me, you teamed up with us because you thought we’d be able to help.”

“I suppose you’re right,” she admitted. She’d been fairly confident they weren’t strong enough to be a threat, but the possibility existed. “The risks I take are simply of a different nature.”

* * *

After dinner, the two simply enjoyed the cool night air. Robin curled up in her deck chair, wrapped in a quilt. In contrast, Zoro lay sprawled flat on the deck, staring at the night sky.

“You look very relaxed, Mr. Roronoa.” Zoro didn’t seem as tense as he had before their talk, but there was still something bothering him. An extra urgency to his training, even compared to his earlier rigorous pace. It was absent at the moment, though, and she’d like to keep it that way.

He grunted. “Might as well. Got the room. Tellin’ me you don’t ever feel like stretching out, with those long limbs?”

“Perhaps.”

A moment later, _Pipit’s_ deck, as well as Zoro, were covered in arms and legs. One of the swordsman’s grey eyes was just visible beneath the tangle of disembodied limbs. Robin met his glare with an innocent smile as her Hana-Hana limbs stretched luxuriously for several seconds.

“You were right Zoro, this is very enjoyable.”

“Ha. Ha.”

She could feel the vibration of his voice against the arm draped over it. A moment later, she felt a quick, gentle pressure on the pulse point of the wrist and she dispersed the limbs.

She studied him closely. “Did you just nip me?”

Zoro stared at her in mock-surprise. “Me? Maybe it was that little guy over there.”

He pointed to a tiny crab seated on the railing, waving its pincers. The crab blinked at the two of them, one eye at a time, then scuttled away.

Robin turned back to the swordsman, who did his best to look innocent. The smirk somewhat ruined the effect. She noticed her heart beating faster, but she didn’t feel afraid. 

She set that aside. “I don’t find the crab a likely culprit, Mister Roronoa.”

He shrugged, “Can’t tell with those little guys.” 

He wasn’t technically lying, she supposed. He never outright denied doing it, only suggested a different possible culprit. A crab _could_ have pinched her. She wondered if Zoro was learning from her, and felt amused at the notion. As long as it was just in fun (and it was rare to see Zoro being playful), she didn't see the harm.

Still, she thought as quiet settled over the ship again, she couldn’t let the transgression pass without payback. . .

A startled yelp burst from the swordsman, breaking the stillness as he sat up sharply and stared, wide-eyed in surprise.

“Did you just pinch my butt?”

Robin’s innocent expression was much better than his. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mister Swordman. I hope you aren’t accusing me of anything improper. Perhaps it was your little crab friend?”

* * *

“You’re twenty-eight?”

“Pardon?”

“You’re twenty-eight,” he repeated. “You said the Marines gave you a bounty at eight, and it was twenty years ago. Math’s not hard.”

“Almost. I turn 28 next February. The 6th,” she added as an afterthought. She didn’t much care about her birthday. It was usually just a reminder another year had passed, and she still hadn’t found the True History.

“Does that surprise you?”

Zoro looked at her thoughtfully. “You look younger, except when you go too long without sleeping. I thought you were closer to my age. 23 or 24.”

“Is that how old you are?” Robin had, after learning about Kuina, concluded he must be a bit younger than her. His friend and rival looked to be in her early teens at the oldest in her photo.

Zoro shook his head. “I’m 19.”

Robin stared. “19?”

“Well, 18. I turn 19 next month. The 11th,” he offered to be polite. Not like it mattered. It just meant he was one day older than he was on the 10th.

He noticed her stunned expression. “What?”

“So when we first met in the forest, you were. . .”

“About 13 or 14, I guess.” He paused. “That doesn’t seem right. But it was like 5 years ago, wasn’t it?”

“Fufufufu. No, it was roughly 3 years ago.”

“Oh. Yeah, that makes more sense. Yeah, I was probably close to 16.”

Robin looked Zoro’s face over, trying to see the youth in him. Comparing it to her memory of their first meeting. It wasn’t easy. Most of her focus then had been on the swords in his hands, and his eyes. Watching for any hostile intent. The eyes were the same, that even grey, except that there was kindness in them when they looked at her, rather than suspicion.

But studying closely, she thought his face had thinned out, lost some small amount of roundness of youth. (She imagined Zoro would bristle if she described it as “baby fat”, but her face had done the same in her teens). His jawline and cheekbones were better defined. Even though she hadn’t touched him back then, he certainly added some muscle to his frame, compared to the relatively lanky young man she recalled.

(With benefit of hindsight, it seemed obvious he’d been young, still growing into his body. But at the time it hadn’t mattered what age he was. Only that he might have been a threat.)

“How old did you think I was?”

“Like you, I originally thought you were closer to my age.”

He frowned deeply. “What’s the matter?”

“You thought I was in my late 20s, and still that weak?” He sounded deeply offended.

“Fufufufu. It wasn’t about that. You’re so serious and determined most of the time, not like most people your age I’ve met. It seemed reasonable to think you were older and more experienced.”

“Oh.” He seemed appeased by that answer, then his brow creased again. “Does it bug you I’m not?”

It wasn't as though Robin could judge, having been at sea since she was a literal child, even if that had been for lack of better options. While it was unexpected, it wasn’t unusual for men and women to voluntarily go to sea in their adolescent years, seeking adventure or fortune. That Zoro traveled alone as long as he did was atypical, but Robin suspected that was simply Zoro’s nature. If there was no one to go with him, he would go anyway.

“Not at all. Traveling with a younger man has its advantages, after all. I hope my being so much older isn’t a problem.”

Zoro shook his head. He didn’t like the idea she’d been on her own for so long, but that wasn’t her fault.

“Nah. Maybe it makes me feel a little better. Makes sense you know so much more about everything than me. You’re smart, and you’ve had more time to learn.”

“You make me sound positively ancient.”

Zoro’s eyes widened. “I didn’t mean it like that! Just that, you’re a fast learner, so more time, you’d pick up more than most people would. Like Johnny said, mind sharp like a blade.”

Robin felt herself smile broadly at the compliment.

* * *

A few days later, they encountered a storm. Not as intense as the one that struck after they escaped with the children, fortunately. Still, _Pipit_ tossed over the waves like a toy as the wind threw rain in their faces from every direction.

Robin stepped to the helm to steer directly, rather than rely on her powers, while Zoro drew in the sails. Then he disappeared below without a word. He returned a minute later with a length of rope trailing behind him. Robin noticed, but wasn’t expecting him to tie the end around her waist snugly. Startled, she whipped around to look at him.

“The other half is tied to one of the water barrels in the hold,” he explained, leaning close enough she could hear him over the waves, his breath warm against her rain-soaked skin. 

“In case I’m distracted when you go overboard. Don’t want a repeat of last time.” He muttered the second sentence so low she barely caught it despite how close they were.

Robin wanted to argue it was unnecessary, but Zoro wore his “mule” look, and this really wasn’t the time for a drawn-out discussion. She nodded in acceptance.

After several hours, they made it out of the storm, into clear skies and a blazing sun. Within an hour, there was no sign there’d ever been foul weather, as the heat baked the moisture off the deck and their clothes.

Robin put them back on course, sails fully deployed and making good time, when Zoro came back on deck with a sour look.

“We’ve got a leak,” he announced flatly.

Robin followed him below and confirmed _Pipit’s_ hull was, indeed, leaking. Robin wasn’t exactly surprised. Even if the East Blue was a calm sea compared to most, she’d sailed this small craft across it for three years non-stop. She’d been as careful as she could, but some damage was inevitable.

“You know anything about fixing ships?” Zoro asked. Robin shook her head.

“I’ve rarely had one long enough for it to come up.”

Zoro raised one eyebrow in surprise. “Didn’t see you as the type to be so careless with your things.”

“It’s more I didn’t stay on those ships for very long. The crews and I always had a. . . falling out.”

Zoro had a pretty good guess what that meant. “Can we make it to Loguetown?”

“Perhaps, if we don’t encounter more storms. We certainly need to fix the damage before entering the Grand Line.” She paused. “Or purchase a new ship.”

Robin had been turning that possibility over in her mind for several days. She wasn’t sure _Pipit_ could survive the Grand Line. Was almost certain it couldn’t, in fact. But with only a two-person crew, they were limited in how large a ship they could manage, even with her powers. Zoro could only be in one place at a time, and Robin really didn’t want to spend 12 hours or more a day blooming dozens of limbs to handle everything else. It would leave them exhausted and vulnerable.

Besides, buying a new ship in Loguetown carried its own risks. If there was one available, the Marines might be watching it. The other option was to join a crew, but there weren’t many in the East Blue worth joining. (Buggy was more than he let on, but didn’t seem interested in leaving. Nor was it likely he wanted the added attention they’d bring.)

More emotionally, Robin didn’t want to abandon _Pipit_. It had been her home, a safe haven, for three years, which was the longest any place could say that since Ohara was burned. By a good two-and-a-half years. It was familiar and comfortable to her. Especially having a friend to travel with.

Zoro waited patiently for Robin to sort her thoughts. He was pretty sure they weren’t getting a new ship. She frowned just mentioning the idea, like when she didn’t think he was taking his injuries seriously enough. He didn’t think she realized she was running her hand over the dresser the way you might stroke a cherished pet. Course, if he pointed that out, she'd dismiss it. Act like it didn't matter to her, even if it did.

Might as well try to prod her along. “What do you want to do? Is there a place we can have it repaired before Loguetown?”

“There’s an archipelago not far north of our location. It’s not the safest place, but there should be at least one shipwright there who can shore this up.”

“What’s the danger?” Robin could hear anticipation in Zoro’s tone, even if he tried to disguise it. “More Marines?”

“No, the strongest pirate crew in the East Blue are based there. The Arlong Pirates.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the idea for Robin covering the deck in limbs from a piece of art I saw where Usopp tells everyone to listen up, and Robin replies she's all ears, while sprouting ears allover herself. I need to find more opportunities for Robin to do silly crap with her powers.
> 
> Next time, Robin shows she's got a way with wildlife, and some Fishmen wish they'd stayed in bed.


	42. Fishmen Stew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin just wants to get Pipit fixed and get moving. But things are never that easy.

Robin and Zoro were both on alert as they approached the largest island of the Conomi Archipelago. Robin hoped they could make it ashore before being noticed, since she wasn’t sure what they could do if they were attacked by Arlong’s men at sea, but they had to at least be prepared.

They didn’t make it to shore, but judging by the massive swell of water forming ahead of them, what found them wasn’t fishmen. The ocean rolled away, a pair of curved horns and enormous rounded ears appearing. A pair of large, scowling eyes followed, then a rounded snout with a ring through it.

“What the fuck is that?” Zoro sounded caught between confusion and excitement as _Pipit_ bobbed backwards from the creature’s displacement.

It was a sea cow. Robin was sure it was still young, even as it towered over them. It floated closer, decidedly unfriendly, snorting and tossing its head. Zoro stepped forward, blades drawn, and fixed the creature with his fiercest glare. It didn’t retreat, but it did stop, aggression replaced by caution. 

“Wait a moment. Let me try something.”

Robin wasn’t sure Zoro could defeat it in one attack. If he didn’t, it could certainly destroy _Pipit_ with one charge. She moved to the bow as he stepped back slowly, eyes never leaving the sea creature. Robin kept her hands open in front of her.

“Hello there,” she began pleasantly. “Are these your waters?”

The cow snorted, but bobbed his head.

“Would you be willing to let us land? We mean no harm, and would very much appreciate it.”

A chain of her arms appeared, passing up some of their supply of vegetables. She held out a large head of cabbage. The cow eyed it suspiciously, but lowered his head, eyes darting back and forth between her and Zoro, who had at least taken his hands off his swords. It stretched its neck, plucked the cabbage from her hands carefully, then swallowed it without another word.

She waited as it floated back, and its large eyes softened. Its tail rose from beneath the waves and wagged eagerly. Robin giggled and held up another cabbage.

“Would you like more?”

The cow nodded happily and rushed forward. Robin felt Zoro tense beside her, and it stopped immediately. It took the gift gingerly, but again wagged its tail.

“I’m glad you enjoy them.” The sea cow really was adorable. “Is it alright for us to go to the island?”

* * *

And that was how they found themselves escorted to Cocoyashi Village by a cheerful sea cow. As they reached the shore, a voice called out.

“Momoo, what are you doing? Why’d you let these humans through?”

Before them stood an octopus fishman with his hair in a style that reminded Robin of a starfish. He folded one pair of arms across his broad chest while the other four gestured wildly. Momoo shrank back in the face of his anger.

“We’re here to find someone to repair our ship,” Robin explained politely, while cursing that they’d still encountered one of Arlong’s crew before even touching land. At least it was only one, they could handle that as long as they kept the battle out of the ocean. She readied herself, and could see Zoro reaching for his swords again.

It didn’t turn out to be necessary. The octopus blinked, wide-eyed, then responded. “Oh? Why didn’t you say so? There’s a human in the village down the road that handles that! Let me help you get it on dry land!”

With that, he took hold of the bow and casually dragged _Pipit_ out of the water. “Come on, I’ll take you there!” When they hesitated, he turned back and said, “Don’t worry, nobody will bother it!”

The octopus turned out to be quite chatty, if a little scatterbrained. “So are you here to pay tribute to Arlong? He’s gonna run the East Blue soon, ya know.”

“We haven’t had the pleasure,” Robin replied smoothly. “Do you work for him?”

“Of course I do!” he answered proudly. “Are you saying you haven’t heard of the great Fishman swordsman, Hachi?”

Robin didn’t even have to look at her partner to notice the change in his demeanor. He was practically vibrating with excitement. “Behave yourself, Zoro,” she whispered.

“I’m not some out of control kid, woman.” He muttered. He wouldn’t just attack immediately. He’d at least wait until they found this shipfixer.

They’d reached the village, so Zoro focused on extending his Haki as far as he could. He didn’t know if a Fishman would feel different from a person, but Robin said Fishmen were ten times stronger than a human, so he looked for anyone who felt strong. 

Zoro couldn’t sense anyone like that nearby. Just a lot of tired people. Even this octopus didn’t feel all that impressive.

Robin didn’t see any sign of a trap. There was no one in the village other than humans, most of whom huddled inside. The ones that weren’t scurried for cover when they spotted Hachi. Their fear a tangible thing, thick in the air. All of them bracing for something they had no hopes of stopping.

Hachi marched up to one door and knocked loudly. It immediately opened to reveal a thin man with a weak mustache and only a few strands of hair swept over his bald spot.

“How can I help you, sir?”

“These humans need their boat fixed!”

The man’s mouth opened, then closed. He stood there, staring in confusion until Hachi spoke again. “Well? Aren’t you going to help them?”

“I’m, I’m very sorry, sir! It’s just, I’m not a shipwright. I’m a barber!” The man sounded desperately apologetic, bracing himself for a hit.

Hachi now mirrored the confused look the barber gave him seconds ago. “You are? Are you sure?”

“Yes, yes! I mean, I can try to fix their vessel, but Lando is the village shipwright! He lives two streets over!” The man pointed behind them with trembling fingers.

“Mr. Hachi, if it is all the same to you, I would prefer to have the shipwright repair our vessel, rather than a barber,” Robin said, unable to keep amusement out of her voice. “No offense to you, sir,” she added to the poor barber, who assured her there was none taken. He agreed, that would be best, and he could even take them to Lando.

Word traveled fast, because the shipwright was standing at his door when they arrived, two sons with him, tools at the ready. The group returned to the beach, and Lando set to examining _Pipit’s_ hull.

“Fortunately, it’s just a few boards that have weakened,” he stated. “They might have been cracked by a rock or reef some time ago, and the waves have just been gradually widening the gaps. Been through any storms lately?”

“Two in the last two weeks,” Robin answered. “Can it be repaired quickly?”

“If you have the money, sure. 150,000 Beris.” 

The price seemed high to Robin, but if he could finish it today and get them on their way, it would be worth it. They still had plenty of money from their bounty hunting. (Zoro going several weeks without alcohol had been a boon to their finances.)

Money changed hands, and Lando barked orders to his two sons to return to their shop and retrieve wood and some additional tools he’d need. Once they left, he began removing the damaged pieces. Robin split her attention between him and their surroundings. She sighed as Zoro approached Hachi, who was watching Lando work. 

_‘He did resist the urge for almost an entire hour. That’s better than I expected.’_

“You said you were a swordsman, right? How about a duel?”

Hachi looked at Zoro with surprise. “You want to challenge a Fishman to a fight? That’s pretty crazy, human.”

Zoro shrugged indifferently, but his grin was eager, almost predatory. “Part of being the greatest swordsman is taking crazy challenges. So, how about it?”

Hachi rubbed at his hair with one tentacle, considering. “I was going to practice some today, anyway. You can be my warmup! I’ll try not to hurt you too much!”

Zoro’s grin intensified, and Hachi could feel his hair almost straighten out from the effect. “Same to you.”

“Would the two of you mind taking the duel elsewhere?” Robin asked. “I believe you are making Mr. Shipwright nervous, and I would prefer he concentrate on his work.”

Hachi waved cheerfully and Zoro raised one hand in lazy acknowledgement as they moved into the forest.

* * *

No matter how many times Hachi told the human to follow along, he kept going the wrong way. The Fishman finally just dragged Zoro into the clearing, to the human’s annoyance. “Let me go. I can walk!”

Hachi complied and began stretching his arms, flexing and twisting them to loosen up. “Then why did you keep wandering off? I thought you wanted to fight.”

“The damn forest kept moving!”

“Huh? Really? Forests move?” This was a new one to Hachi. None of the humans on the island ever mentioned their forests could do that! Maybe they wanted Hachi and the other Fishmen to get lost and starve? Good luck! They’d just smash their way out! No dinky human forest could hold one of Arlong’s crew!

The human nodded. “They do it all the time, even though no one believes me when I tell them.”

“Wow!” Hachi was amazed. Why wouldn’t anyone believe this guy? “So, which sword are you going to use in our duel? Or do you fight with two?”

The human shook his head. “I fight with three.” 

He placed the sword in the white sheath between his teeth, then gripped the other two in his hands. Hachi drew three of the swords off his back, holding them in his right tentacles. The human watched him curiously. 

“You only fight with three?” Zoro wondered if Hachi mixed swords and martial arts. That could be interesting.

“I normally fight with six, but that wouldn’t fair. You’re already at a disadvantage because you’re human. You can’t beat six swords with just three!”

Zoro’s eyes narrowed. “You better prove that before you go around saying it. Your swords don’t carry the same weight as mine. I want your best!”

Hachi scratched his head, uncomprehending. “What do you mean? Weight? Each of my swords is over 100 kg!”

Still, the octopus granted his opponent’s wish and drew his other three swords. The two squared off, and Hachi realized something. “I don’t know your name! We shouldn’t duel if we don’t know each other’s name!”

“Roronoa Zoro.”

“OK, here I come Roronoa Zoro!” Hachi charged, waving all six blades back and forth before swinging at Zoro, who stood ready in a low stance. He blocked the first three easily, one with each of his swords. 

“See, now how are you gonna block my other three swords, Roronoa Zoro?” Zoro blocked two of them by just slightly moving the swords in his hands. For the third, he pushed the sword being blocked by Wado into its path. Hachi could only stare, stunned as all his attacks were stymied. He got a bigger surprise when he went skidding across the grass a moment later as the human shoved him away, with seemingly no effort. What’s more, the human made no attempt to press his advantage.

“You got more than that, right?”

Hachi charged again, swinging his swords in the same pattern as before, although Zoro could tell he was trying harder now. It didn't change much. The octopus didn’t seem to have a lot of skill. He swung his arms like they were whips, swords just following the same arc. No grace, or deft and nimble movements. Hachi was all about overwhelming the other fighter with sheer strength and the number of swords.

But Zoro had fought more than six blades at a time before, albeit not all wielded by the same guy. Hachi’s attacks were more coordinated than six different opponents’, but they also couldn’t come from as many different directions. Still, it was good practice for his Haki, as he relied on that to track and defend.

It worked well, parrying and twisting away from attacks with ease. He was sure his eyes could do just as well. Growing bored, Zoro attacked. As Hachi swung all three swords on his right side, Zoro leaned back and twisted, using his right sword to parry, Hachi’s blades gliding along its edge. Without being halted fully, Hachi’s arms kept twisting and blocked the swords in his left hands, leaving him unable to attack as Zoro finished his spin, now facing Hachi with two swords pointed right at him.

**“Bull Charge!”**

Hachi tried to deflect the rapid-fire thrusts, but even with six swords to parry two, they kept slipping through his guard. The octopus swung his swords faster, desperate to fend off the assault even as his eyes closed in the face of it. It took a few seconds to realize he wasn’t hearing sword clashing against sword, or getting stabbed. He opened his eyes and saw the human not only stopped his attack, but stepped back.

“You done with naptime, or do you want to call the fight?” Zoro was pretty disappointed. Hachi might have some natural physical ability, but he wasn’t a swordsman.

“No way! I’m not giving up to a human! Arlong says you can’t possibly compete with a Fishman!” 

(Hachi had his doubts about that, especially right now. He didn’t really even want to compete with humans. He’d rather they just left him alone.)

“Well Arlong’s not here right now,” Zoro smirked. “And you’re not doing so hot.”

“You are pretty good, Roronoa Zoro. You remind me of that one bounty hunter. I can’t remember his name. Say, I think he fights with three swords, too! Do you know him?”

Zoro huffed, amused. “Yeah, I think I know who you mean. Are you ready to continue?”

“You bet!” Hachi pointed all six of his swords at Zoro, their tips just barely touching, edges aimed outwards. Zoro moved into his low stance again, arms crossed over his chest. Hachi could try spitting ink, but this was supposed to be a duel. That would be cheating. No, he’d win with just his swords, like this Zoro was trying to do. Gee, that name seemed so familiar. . .

Hachi charged. Zoro did the same.

**“Octopus Pot Stance: New Year’s Open!”**

**“Demon Cutter!”**

Crossed twin blades met six points, and Hachi prepared to push Zoro’s aside, leaving his chest wide open to ram his with his shoulder. Instead, Hachi found himself sliding backward as Zoro’s charge didn’t stop.

“This shouldn’t be happening! Your little swords can’t stand up to mine!”

Where Hachi’s eyes were wide with shock, Zoro’s hadn’t lost the intense focus they carried since the duel began. “I told you, my swords carry more weight.”

Zoro’s lead blade found a tiny gap between the tips of the left and right-side swords, then brushed them aside like a lace curtain. It was the octopus with his chest exposed to attack now, and Hachi stumbled back with two shallow cuts. It was only his longer arms and swords that kept the wounds from being worse, as he was able to make Zoro expend much of his force further away.

“With a little more practice, that might not be a bad move,” Zoro told him.

“You think so? Gee thanks!” Hachi answered cheerfully before steam shot out his ears. “Wait a minute! We’re supposed to be fighting! Are you making fun of me?”

Zoro shook his head sharply. “No. You agreed to a duel with me, which brings a certain degree of respect with it. Are you willing to continue?”

Hachi didn’t think he had much chance of winning, but he wanted to try. He was pretty sure this Roronoa Zoro wouldn’t kill him, which was more than he could say for Arlong if he learned Hachi lost to a mere human.

“I’m ready to keep going! Let’s see you deal with this! **Waltz of Six Blades!** ”

Hachi lifted his arms above his head and began swinging them in a circle. This attack was really meant to be used against an opponent off-balance from the shoulder ram, but he didn’t have anything better. 

Zoro went into a crouch again, swords parallel to the ground, one held in a reverse grip behind him. Hachi’s blades were coming from Zoro’s sheath side (Robin said that was his right side, but it was the side for an easy draw with his _left_ hand, so. . . Why was that shit so confusing?), so he spun the opposite direction to meet them.

**“Dragon Twister!”**

The sound of shattering metal filled the clearing.

* * *

“What were you thinking, letting your friend fight Hachi?” Lando asked as he continued his work. His children were back, and in the process of cutting pieces to replace the damaged ones.

“That I wouldn’t have been able to stop him without fighting him myself,” Robin answered. “Would you mind checking there’s no other damage to the hull?” 

She was keeping most of her attention on him, but also tracking Zoro and Hachi’s halting progress through the woods with her powers.

“My sons did that already. Your ship is in good shape.” The shipwright went back to his earlier point, hissing, “He’ll be killed!”

“He’s prepared for that, though I don’t believe it will happen today.”

Lando shook his head. “You don’t understand the power of the Fishmen. Hachi is one of Arlong’s strongest lieutenants! We’ve been under their thumb for eight years! The Marines gave up trying to help long ago.”

Robin couldn’t say she was surprised, given the level of most East Blue Marines. She wondered why neither Garp nor Smoker ever bothered to deal with it.

The sound of metal ringing echoed from the woods. Lando winced as his children turned towards the sound with huge eyes. 

“That’s it then,” the father said. “You friend is dead.”

Robin smiled confidently, as she knew how the battle was actually going. “I wouldn’t be sure of that.” 

The longer the sounds continued, the more awed the children looked. Lando had to keep reminding them to focus on their work, although his eyes kept shooting towards the woods as well. He finished treating one of the pieces and was fitting it into place when Robin spotted a group of seven Fishmen headed their way.

“Should we be concerned?” Lando looked up, and his face lost all color. 

“The one in the lead, with the hair parted down the middle?” he whispered. “That’s Chew. He’s another of Arlong’s lieutenants. Please, just do whatever they say. Even if you don’t care about your life, for my sons.”

Robin nodded, expression calm. She felt certain she could defeat this many Fishmen at once on land, as long as they didn’t know who she was, or have any countermeasures. But she imagined Lando feared reprisals if she did. Unless she was prepared to destroy Arlong entirely, she was better off not starting a fight.

“What do we have here?” Chew stated smugly. “A new human stinking up _our_ island?”

The Fishman’s voice irritated her, and Robin ignored the impulse to rip those ridiculous pursed lips clean off. Another day, perhaps. “I am sorry to impose. My ship suffered damage in a storm, and I stopped here for repairs. Hachi was nice enough to guide me to a shipwright.”

She gambled mentioning that Hachi okayed her presence would defuse the situation. Chew didn’t attack, so she supposed it was successful, but he eyed her suspiciously before turning to Lando.

“That true, human?”

“Yes sir!” Lando replied instantly.

“Huh,” Chew hummed, looking her over carefully. “Well, there’s a toll for landing on the island, you know.” He turned back to Lando. “50,000 Beri per person. She here alone, human?”

“No. There’s another with her. He’s with Mr. Hachi right now.”

There hadn’t been any sounds from the clearing for a minute or so prior to Chew and his men’s arrival, but now there was a loud crash of swords. Everyone turned their attention to the woods. Robin could see Zoro overpower some stabbing attack of Hachi’s easily.

“What was that?” Chew demanded.

“My partner is interested in swords. He requested a duel with Hachi.” Lando nodded furiously in agreement.

The Fishmen roared with laughter. “Well that’s too bad for you. There’s an additional 50,000 Beri fee for having to bury one of your stinking human corpses on the island. And don’t think you can dump him in the ocean! We don’t want you fouling up _our_ waters!”

Robin’s eye in the clearing watched Hachi spin his swords overhead. Zoro appeared ready to unleash his Dragon Twister. Her partner didn’t even look like he was breathing hard.

“I’m certainly willing to pay the toll fee you described, but I don’t think we’ll be needing a burial plot.”

Chew and the others laughed again. “Well sure, I guess there’s a chance Hachi will leave him alive, if he holds back enough. More likely, there won’t be enough left to bury! You humans are so fragile!”

The laughter was interrupted by the sound of shattering metal. A moment later something was visible in the distance, rising above the trees. It tumbled end over end towards them, finally crashing to earth, rolling to a stop 20 yards away. 

The dust cleared, and Hachi lay there, bloodied and dazed, eyes rolled back in his head. The Fishmen ran to him.

“Hachi! What the hell happened to you?” Chew demanded.

“Ror. . . Roronoa. . . Zoro,” the octopus mumbled weakly before passing out.

“The Pirate Hunter!!” Chew turned towards her. “Then you’re bounty hunters? I don’t know how many of you snuck onto the island to do this, but you’re never leaving!”

* * *

Robin took cautious steps back. “I assure you we mean no harm. My friend asked for a duel, and Hachi agreed. That’s all.”

They ignored her, continuing to advance. Robin raised her arms. She hadn’t wanted a fight, but now that it was here, she would finish it.

**“Vientiocho Fleur: Clutch.”**

Arms bloomed from the Fishmen to lock around their necks and shoulders, then wrenched back. The pirates gasped in surprise, straining against the limbs restricting them. Fortunately for them, but unfortunately for Robin, Fishmen joints were a bit stronger than human ones, and they were able to resist being immediately incapacitated. They continued towards her, straining against the pressure she was applying.

_‘I suppose I’m out of practice against stronger opponents.’_

More arms grasped their ankles, halting their progress. Before Robin could make her next move, a ball of water struck her like a cannonball. She was knocked off her feet and landed harshly on the beach, concentration broken. Energy momentarily sapped, she struggled to push off the loose sand as five of the Fishmen surged forward. 

A bright orange clownfish swung his spiked club with two barrel-shaped arms from directly overhead. Robin rolled to one side, sand raining over her from the impact. A narrow flounder with a scythe, turned so his eyes, both on his left side, could spy her. Robin tried moving to his right, his blind side, but tumbled backwards away from a pike Fishman who lunged at her with a pike – er, a spear. 

They were trying to pin her in against ocean, but that didn’t mean she was going to let them. The spear sank deeply into the sand, and Robin brought one booted heel down to break it before he could withdraw it. She was driven away by the flounder again, but this time, Robin went to his right, staying in his sight. At least until one of her hands covered both eyes. He flailed in a panic, and his scythe caught the charging clownfish between the eyes.

Two more Fishmen, a pair of sturgeon, each carrying a single sword, stepped forward. They each stepped to one side, and another of Chew’s water balls shot through the opening.

**“Diez Fleur: Screen.”**

A swarm of arms appeared in the beach and hurled a wall of sand in the way. The projectile slammed against the sand. Most of it scattered, while some broke through, but the force was spent. The sand fell away, and Robin was gone, only a swirl of pink petals in the air.

While they stared in confusion, she fell from above, slamming three legs into the pike’s skull with a sharp crack. As he fell back, and the pirates struggled to react, one arm appeared in the sand. It deftly picked up the broken spearhead, then stabbed the flounder in the leg. One of the sturgeon snapped from his stupor and swung at it, but the arm vanished before he even started. While he was distracted, arms appeared on his partner’s shoulders. Rather than try to break bones or joints, Robin attacked a readily available weak point.

Both hands reached through the Fishman’s gill slits, grasped the rakers, and pulled. The gills gave way with a spray of gore. The arms vanished again, leaving the victim screaming and clutching at the wounds, trying futilely to staunch the blood flow. The others froze, stunned at the act. Not that they were strangers to brutality; but it had been a long time since _they_ were on the receiving end.

The hesitation cost them. Robin’s arms trapped the other sturgeon in place, and while he thrashed wildly, another pair grabbed his brother’s sword and stabbed him in the stomach. The arms holding him jerked one of his arms so he stumbled between her and Chew’s next attack. She dispersed the arms, but the water ball knocked him forward, driving his body further onto the sword until it burst through his back. The Fishmen were down to Chew and a lanky flying fish, who turned frightened eyes on Lando. The shipwright was huddled on the far side of _Pipit_ , his boys’ faces buried against his chest.

“You brought her here!” The Fishman leapt into the air, glaive raised high above his head. Robin turned to stop him, but had to dodge another attack from Chew.

**“Rising Phoenix!”**

Zoro’s gleaming blade caught the Fishman in mid-leap, cutting cleanly through his weapon. The flying fish could only gawk as it fell apart and the Pirate Hunter continued into the sky above him.

**“Diving Phoenix!”**

The Fishman fell to earth, landing with a wet splat as blood spurted from the wound.

Zoro landed next to the body, surveying the carnage.

“What the hell happened?”

“Your defeat of Hachi was interpreted as an attack upon their entire crew, Mister Swordsman.”

Zoro turned to glare at Chew, who was looking between the two, terrified.

“I asked him for a duel and he accepted, that’s all.”

Despite knowing his situation was dire, Chew couldn’t help sneering. “As if I would believe that! You humans are always trying to destroy us!”

Zoro looked over at Hachi, who had regained consciousness, but looked as terrified as Chew. “He’s better off than any of your buddies after you started this fight.”

Hachi nodded, choosing his words carefully, unsure who to fear more. “He’s telling the truth, Chew. He asked for a fight, and he won, fair and square.”

Chew glared daggers. “You’re a disgrace, Hachi. Once Arlong hears about this, he’s going to have you for dinner. And where is Momoo?”

The sea cow poked its head timidly above the waves, then shrank back as Chew turned on it.

“What were you doing letting them in here, Momoo? You should have sunk them! Arlong is going to hear about this! He’s going to -urk!”

**“Dos Fleur: Twist.”**

Sick of the Fishman’s yelling, Robin formed two arms. One clasped Chew’s forehead, the other grabbed his protruding lips, twisting them repeatedly, while stretching them as far as possible. He tried to pry at the Devil Fruit limbs, but a third limb grasped his gill rakers and Robin shook her head slowly, eyes devoid of warmth. Chew’s eyes widened, and he lowered his arms in defeat. 

“You are the one responsible for all this,” she explained slowly. “Zoro and I would have left the island without incident if you allowed it. You started a fight over the outcome of a duel that didn’t involve you. And you lost.” She pulled his lips a little harder, giving them another half-twist.

“If I kill you now, it would be what you deserve, given what I suspect you and your crew are doing to the people here.”

“Stop!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Considering Hachi couldn't beat a nearly-mortally wounded Zoro, I didn't figure he'd be much of a challenge to this version, but also that Zoro wouldn't be able to pass up the chance for a fight.
> 
> Next chapter: What are the Straw Hats up to?


	43. Straw Hats Interlude 3: Syrup Village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro may have trashed the Black Cat Pirates, but their former Captain doesn't know that. He's still expecting them to show up, but he (and everyone else on the island) are about to get an unpleasant surprise.

Usopp always knew that butler Klahadore was no good. He never enjoyed the tales of Captain Usopp’s fantastic (and completely true) adventures, for one thing. He made Kaya too serious and sad, for another. Did he really think keeping her cooped up in a stuffy room, alone, was going to help her get better? Then he goes and badmouths Usopp’s father, the brave warrior Yasopp.

OK, maybe that didn’t excuse Usopp hitting him. A great pirate should shrug off the insults of lesser men, after all. Especially if it meant he couldn’t return to the manor to lift Kaya’s spirits. Usopp knew he’d have to apologize, just as soon as he squelched the anger pinballing around in his stomach (that wasn’t entirely focused on that damn butler). 

Then Klahadore appeared on the shoreline below him. Usopp couldn’t figure out why, though. The butler was just standing on the isolated beach, pacing back and forth impatiently. Like he was waiting for something. Usopp’s imagination ran wild. 

Klahadore was secretly an envoy of an evil king, here to steal Kaya away and lock her in a tower on a distant island, where only the bravest of warriors could rescue her.

Klahadore was making a bargain with a witch of the sea to keep the island from being sent beneath the waves. The witch would of course break her word, and it would require a great captain (and his loyal crew of 8 million men) to defeat her and raise the island back above the waves with their incalculable strength.

Klahadore was out of cleaner for his glasses and waiting for a shipment.

“This is boring. Let’s go back to town. I’m hungry!” Usopp clamped a hand over the mouth of the boy next to him. 

“Keep it down!” he hissed. Luffy grumbled, but mostly complied.

Usopp wasn’t sure even he could have made up someone as strange as this Monkey D. Luffy. The boy ate more than anyone Usopp had ever seen. Even the Great Captain Usopp would have to undo his overalls to keep up with him. Luffy was made out of rubber, because he’d eaten a strange fruit.

(Usopp once ate a rutabaga that gave him heat vision, but only temporarily.)

Luffy couldn’t go five minutes without yelling about how he was going to be King of the Pirates. Which was quite a goal. Even Usopp, no stranger to accomplishing impossible tasks, would have balked at that notion. And most of the time – like right now, when the boy was muttering petulantly about being hungry – it seemed impossible to believe.

But Luffy didn’t make fun of Usopp’s stories. He didn’t think the idea of Usopp being a brave warrior of the sea was absurd. He insisted Yasopp was a great pirate. So he wasn’t completely nuts. Luffy seemed to have absolute faith in himself and his navigator. Even if Nami kept insisting they were only working together for a little while, Luffy didn’t seem bothered by that.

Usopp spied a dark spot on the horizon. He could just make out a large ship, which soon lowered a small boat. He watched it grow slowly but steadily closer, heading directly to the shore where that rude butler waited.

“Someone’s coming,” he said quietly, and regretted it immediately as Luffy jumped to his feet.

“Really?! Wh-“ Usopp jerked him back behind the bush.

“What are you doing? Don’t tip off Klahadore that we’re here!” Luffy stuck one finger in his nose, totally unconcerned.

“But if he’s bad, you’ll just beat him up, right?”

“Well, um, uh, of-of course I would! But if we do that now, whoever he’s meeting will realize he’s dealing with the Great Captain Usopp and run away! Then they might come back with an army! Not that I couldn’t handle an army, what with my 8 million followers, but –“

“Shishishi, Usopp’s scared.”

“Who are you calling chicken, rubber boy?!”

* * *

Former Pirate Captain Kuro sighed as he glanced towards the cliff above him. Not that the ridiculous liar and his new friends were a threat, but their obnoxious arguing was getting on his nerves. The sooner Jango arrived, the sooner Kuro could decide whether they should kill them now, or wait until the full attack.

Kuro wouldn’t normally be so impatient as to risk his meticulously timed plan on something as small as revenge. He wasn’t worried about his plan being exposed by the eavesdroppers. Usopp was a notorious liar, and the boy in the straw hat was a stranger who also called himself a pirate. The townspeople wouldn’t believe either of them. 

Still, the fact he had to take a punch from that absurd child grated. Even the fact he was able to use it to drive a rift between Kaya and Usopp didn’t ease the humiliation. He had taken a lot of that playing the loyal servant to a sick child these last three years, bowing and taking orders. 

He was ready to be done with it, to enjoy the fruits of his patience and strategy.

“You are late, Jango,” he said as he heard the rowboat grow closer. “You will have to be more punctual on the day of the attack.”

“Uh Captain, I’m very sorry, but –“

“I do not care to hear your excuses. I have played this ridiculous role for three years, all building to this moment of triumph. If you endanger my plan with your tardiness or incompetence, the penalties will be. . . severe. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, I understand. This idiot was telling the truth about Kuro of a Thousand Plans still being alive.”

Kuro whirled around at the unfamiliar voice, at the same time the rowboat slid to a stop on the shore. Jango sat at the oars, looking terrified, but not of Kuro. His heart-shaped sunglasses were missing, the left half of his face swollen to absurd proportions. His lower body was in a full cast. Seated in the rear of the boat was a tall man with a roughly trimmed white beard, wearing the coat of the Marines, and eating rice crackers like there was no tomorrow.

“Jango, what is the meaning of this?”

* * *

Garp could not catch a break. He’d finished his business in Shells Town, albeit minus two of the prisoners who were supposed to be waiting for him. But it wasn’t all bad. He had the disgraced Marine Morgan, plus two new chore boys to whip into shape. One that might really turn into something if the story about him lecturing Morgan on what Marines are supposed to be is true. He sure seemed dedicated enough. Maybe he could bring them along to Dawn Island, train him with Luffy. He knew his grandson was lonely ever since that ungrateful brat Ace ran off to become a pirate three years ago. (Not to mention hurting from Sabo’s death years before that.)

That was if Garp could ever _start_ his damned vacation. All he needed to do was make it to Loguetown and drop all these crooked Marines off at Smoker’s cells, and he’d be done. Kuzan was supposedly headed this way, so if Smoker couldn’t handle Nico Robin and her partner, the Admiral would. Maybe. Garp was pretty sure the lazy man could have caught the Last Oharan years ago, but held off for reasons he kept to himself.

Either way, not Garp’s problem. Then they come across this battered galleon. One mast down, another partially broken, poorly patched hole near the waterline. It’s clearly seen rough times, and Marines should offer assistance, so Garp orders his ship to approach. 

Except the ship limps away, which is pretty suspicious. So he jumped from his ship to the deck of the galleon and yeah, it’s pirates. Barely. A battered skeleton crew of them, but still pirates. Which is a nice change of pace, at least. Garp was starting to think there weren’t any actual pirates left in the East Blue.

(That would be good news, except it seemed the Marines were rushing to fill the void in the criminal world. And all the worst crews were still loose. The rumors were Krieg headed for the Grand Line, which would probably take care of that dolt. But Buggy was still out there, and Arlong. Garp was usually busy in the New World. Maybe he should suggest Smoker widen his area of interest. If Garp ever made it to Loguetown.)

Jango knew it was trouble the minute the Marine jumped from his boat to theirs. The crew, those still alive, were feeling the effects of their run-in with the bounty hunters, and this guy was on another level entirely. Jango was pretty sure the nearest pirate got knocked out simply by the Marine’s coat hitting him in the face as he turned. And Jango was confined to a rolly chair he was using to get around while his legs healed.

But this Marine didn’t know what Jango could do, and he still had one good arm. If he struck fast. . .

“Hey, you!” The Marine turned his way as Jango swung his chakram back and forth. “When I count 1, 2, Jango, you will fall asleep! 1 . . .”

The Marine was already out. Just standing there on the deck of their ship, snot bubble in his nose, fast asleep in mid-punch. The crewman who was about to be hit still passed out at the sight of the enormous fist halted only inches from his face. 

Jango hadn’t seen anyone ever fall under his power that fast, but no looking a gift Marine in the mouth. He rolled his chair forward, spinning the chakram cockily around his finger. “You are now a Black Cat Pirate. When I snap my fingers, you will wake up and attack that Marine vessel.”

“Huh? Why would I do that, weirdo?”

Jango blinked. The Marine was awake again, looking at him in a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

“But, but you were under my power! This can’t be!”

“What are you talking about? Never mind, you can tell me in the brig!”

* * *

“You spent three years being a butler, just to kill an ill girl in a staged attack and steal her fortune. Not much of a pirate. Which fits with the joke of a crew on that ship.”

(This idiot in the body cast told him who decimated the crew. Sengoku would have insisted he follow that lead and hunt down Nico Robin, but it’s not as though Garp could take the word of some crummy pirate about who attacked his crew. And this Jango was unconscious when they sailed off, and had no idea which direction they went.

Besides, Sengoku only told Garp not to let Nico Robin escape if he _found_ her. Well, he hadn’t found her, just rumors of her, so there was nothing he could do. Orders were orders.)

Kuro backed up as Garp hopped on shore. This was disastrous. Kuro wasn’t so foolish as to believe he could defeat the legendary Garp the Fist, especially minus any weapons. But if he had a hostage. . .

Could he escape long enough to reach her?

“It’s a good thing you arrived, Marine, or else the Great Pirate Captain Usopp would have had to summon my 8 million loyal men to defeat him!”

Garp cast his eyes towards the reedy voice shouting up on the cliff. Just in time to see a kid wearing a familiar straw hat leap up and tackle another child.

“LUFFY?! What are you doing here?!”

“Um, uh, this is not Luffy, Gramps! It’s someone else!” Garp could hear that stupid expression Luffy’s face made when he tried to lie. Garp grinned wickedly, and even though it wasn’t directed at him, Kuro felt his knees wobble.

“OH? Then I guess my grandson finally got rid of the stupid hat that stinking, red-haired rat gave him, and he’s waiting back on Dawn Island for me to pick him up and make him a proper Marine!”

Luffy erupted from cover, screaming, “Shanks isn’t a rat, and I’ll never give this hat up! And I’m never becoming a stupid Marine, because I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!”

“We’ll just see about that!” Garp knew that would get Luffy’s goat, even as part of him hoped it wasn’t his grandson. 

(He knew it was, though. Even if Ripper didn’t mention him in the report on Morgan’s near escape, just as he hadn’t mentioned Nico and Roronoa’s involvement in Morgan’s fall, Garp heard the whispers among the rank and file about the rubber brat with a big mouth and a straw hat that played a major role. The one that kept insisting he would find One Piece.

Still, he’d hoped Luffy would be waiting at Foosha Village when Garp arrived.) 

“Sounds like you need more tough love!”

Luffy, realizing he’d been had, ran screaming into the woods as Garp scaled the cliff in one leap and tore after him, knocking trees aside casually in his pursuit. Usopp sat there, stunned and shaking, watching the chase until both Monkeys were out of sight, if not out of earshot. (It was hard to tell which of the two was louder.) 

Normally, Usopp would relish the challenge of fighting such a strong opponent as this Marine. But, on the other hand, it was clearly a family matter, and not really his place to get involved. That reasoning agreed upon by all parties in his mind, the sharpshooter turned back to the shoreline to find Kuro was gone. The man he’d been waiting for was there, lying in the rowboat unconscious. 

(Usopp hoped he was unconscious. Not that it would be his first dead body, but murder was somewhat different from watching someone waste away slowly from illness.)

But the butler was nowhere to be seen. _‘If he didn’t take the rowboat to try and escape, then where. . .’_

“Kaya!”

* * *

Nami and Kaya were seated in the sick girl’s bedroom, chatting pleasantly over tea. It was a nice change for Nami to have someone intelligent to talk to. It’d been nothing but pirates she was scamming for years now, minus the brief visits home. Pirates were not great conversationalists, generally. Luffy certainly wasn’t, for all that he seemed nicer than most, if just as gullible. 

_If_ he was actually gullible. Sometimes Nami thought Luffy understood what she was planning. That didn’t seem possible, but it was a feeling she had. That Luffy was going along with their arrangement because he really was fine with it, not because she tricked him. Or because he thought he tricked her somehow. That she really was going to join his crew permanently. She doubted that would hold once she took all the treasure they stole from Buggy with her, but it was nice to dream.

She paused with her cup raised as a door opened and shut loudly downstairs. Rapid footsteps made their way down the hall and another door opened and closed. A few minutes later, they heard the door open, but there were no footsteps at first. She and Kaya exchanged curious looks, and the thief rose from her chair to approach the door. As she did, she saw Merry heading downstairs to investigate. His voice carried from below.

“Klahadore, what is the matter? Why are you wearing those bizarre gloves?” There was a sound Nami knew all too well, of metal cutting flesh, followed by the dull thump of a body hitting the floor.

“Nami, was that Merry? What’s happening?”

The thief held up one hand and strained her ears, but couldn’t hear anything else. There was no sound of movement in the house, other than the creak of the springs in the bed as Kaya struggled to get up. Nami motioned Kaya to be still. When she turned back to the doorway, the butler, the tall, dour one, stood at the top of the stairs. He wore a small frown, as if Nami was a spot of dirt on a crystal wine glass he’d need to remove. A minor nuisance. On his hands were black gloves, each finger with a long blade attached at the end.

“If you send out Miss Kaya, you will be allowed to live,” his bored tone screamed “lie”. Nami slammed the door shut and shoved the nearest chair under the knob. She backed away, putting together her sectioned staff as she did. Kaya made it to her knees and reached for the other girl’s arm.

“Nami, what’s wrong? That was Klahadore, wasn’t it?”

“I don’t think he’s who he says he is. Isn’t that right, Kuro of a Thousand Plans?”

The voice responded from right on the other side of the door. “You recognized me?”

“Not until you put on those gloves. They were pretty famous weapons until you were supposedly executed. You had quite the rep. I’m sorry I never got the chance to steal from you.”

“Ah, then you are the Pirate Thief I heard rumors of. It is fortunate for you that you did not encounter me sooner, for I would have killed you.”

“Yeah, like I haven’t heard that one before.” 

Nami wished she was as confident as she sounded. She’d made it a point to avoid Kuro, precisely because he was ruthless and clever. If he saw through her, she’d be dead. And there’d been enough small fry to rob she didn’t need to risk it, at least until Pirate Hunter Zoro and his partner started taking most of them down the last two years.

(Nami still didn’t understand the woman, The Devil's Child, letting her escape. But now the two of them were slaughtering children. Even bounty hunters turned as vicious as pirates after a time.)

Nami’s attention returned to the matter at hand as the doorknob rotated experimentally. The chair shuddered, but held firm. Nami didn’t expect that to last, and she didn’t want to pit her wooden staff against essentially ten swords.

“Kaya, can you make it down the tree?”

“What?” the girl seemed in a stupor. Not a surprise, she’d been cooped up in this room for years. This was way outside her comfort zone.

“He’s after you,” Nami whispered. “Which means you need to be someplace else. Now.”

The thief held the staff in one hand in front of her like a lance while holding the other out towards Kaya. The pale blonde took it hesitantly, and Nami pulled her towards the window. Before either of them could escape, the door was cut to pieces and fell, clattering, to the floor. The chair did likewise, and Kuro stepped calmly around it into the room.

“Miss Kaya, you are in no condition to venture out of doors.” His voice still in that emotionless tone he always used. Before, it might have come off as simply unfriendly. Now it was chilling. There was no warmth or humanity in it at all.

Kaya still seemed frozen in disbelief. “Klahadore, what are you doing? What did you do to Merry?” 

Nami moved between Kaya and the pirate, knuckles turning white as she gripped her staff. Her knees were trembling, but inside she was boiling. That he would manipulate this girl, play on her compassion for years, always planning to betray her, to take everything she had and leave her alone, or dead. You could never trust pirates. They’d always betray you. Which is why she couldn’t join Luffy’s crew, because he’d turn out to be false, too.

(But she was trusting Arlong to keep his word. To not simply go back on his deal once she fulfilled her side. There was no other choice, though. No one could or would help Nami. But Nami would help this girl.)

“Kaya, go.” Her voice was steady as her eyes stayed locked on Kuro. 

She had no idea how to fight him. She had to stay between him and the window, so her agility was useless. With his long arms and those blades, he could negate the reach of her staff. Nami was far stronger than people thought just looking at her, and Kuro probably hadn’t been able to keep his skills up with this cover identity, but was that enough?

She heard the limb creak as Kaya reached for it, and Kuro _moved_. She heard more than saw it, raised her staff on instinct and managed to get it under the blades on his right hand, lifting them up and away from Kaya. The left hand swung towards her from near the floor, and Nami twisted away, trying to push Kuro back and give herself some room. It worked, just barely, the blades leaving five thin, shallow cuts along her arm. Nami winced, but kept her staff raised and refused to move from her spot in front of the window.

“Miss Nami!” At least Kaya was all the way outside. But she needed to keep moving, use every second she could to put distance between her and Kuro, to find shelter.

Kuro stabbed forward with his right hand again, and Nami blocked again, staff wedged between ring and middle finger. Even so, the blades ringed her head, as Kuro pushed forward relentlessly. He let the fingers on his left hand move back and forth idly, reminding her he wasn’t even using it. His eyes were focused on a point over her shoulder, where she assumed Kaya was crouched.

“Miss Kaya, if you do not return to your bed immediately, I shall be forced to kill this young woman.” The blades moved a little closer, even as Nami braced one heel against the window ledge and pushed with all her might. Behind her, she heard the limb creak. 

“He’ll kill us both anyway!” She shouted. Nami would curse her lack of self-preservation, but it was true. Either she beat Kuro, or she died. Kaya surrendering wouldn’t save her.

“On the contrary, I need Miss Kaya alive. I was only going to let her live until my associate hypnotized her into signing her fortune over to me, but now I require a hostage until I can reach a safe place for her to sign the papers.”

**“Lead Star!”**

A familiar pachinko ball whistled past Nami’s head. Kuro casually cut it in half with his left hand.

“Usopp!”

Nami spared a glance over her shoulder and saw the big liar standing on the wall that encircled the mansion, slingshot drawn.

“Hold it right there, Kuro! You’ve made a big mistake, encroaching on the Great Pirate Captain Usopp’s territory! **Lead Star!** ”

Again the Captain of the Black Cats cut the ball in half easily. He smirked arrogantly, the pressure he applied on Nami never slackening.

“Are these what you consider the weapons of a pirate? How laughable. You are more of a pitiful fool than your worthless father.”

Usopp’s eyes narrowed. “I told you never to speak that way about my father! Special Attack - !”

Another ball flew. Kuro cut it in half with ease. But this time, something inside sparked as the blade hit it, and exploded.

**“- Certain Death Exploding Star!”**

Kuro staggered. Nami seized the opening, driving the end of the staff into his chest with all her strength, then spinning it and smashing him across the face. He fell backwards, tumbling over Kaya’s bed. With a few free seconds, Nami turned and leapt out the window, landing on the lawn. Usopp used a grappling line to help Kaya do likewise. Once Kaya was safe, Nami smacked the sniper over the head.

“What was that for?!”

“What were you doing shooting explosives that close to my face?!”

“You’d prefer I did nothing?!” Kaya stepped between them.

“Please, we need to run! I don’t want either of you hurt trying to fight him!”

The navigator and the sniper shared a glance, each nodding. Neither of them wanted that, either.

“We are far past the point of merely _hurting_ any of you.”

Kuro stood at the windowsill, glaring hatefully. His glasses were cracked, and the blades on the index and middle finger of the left hand were broken. His face looked lightly singed. Perhaps a bruise on one cheek. Other than that, he seemed unharmed.

Nami cast a sideways glance at Usopp as he began sweating profusely. “You call that _‘certain death’_?”

The liar scratched his cheek as he urged Kaya to back up. “Well, if you think about it, death is a certainty for all of us, so he will die. Eventually.”

“That doesn’t help us now!”

“LOOK OUT!”

* * *

As he sprinted through the forest, the sound of crashing trees echoing on his heels, Luffy could console himself on one point: At least he knew he’d gotten stronger. Or maybe just faster. Gramps used to catch him a lot easier than this. Ooh, maybe Gramps was getting old! And weak! Maybe Luffy could beat him up now! 

The King of the Pirates shouldn’t be running from dumb Marines anyway.

With that little bit of wisdom, Luffy spun, right arm cocked back, and waited for Gramps to come into sight. But the forest was quiet. The had trees stopped falling. Luffy paused, and the silence stretched ominously. Where was he? Gramps never fell this far behind. Did he get hurt somehow? That was good for Luffy, but he should probably check on him. His Gramps was mean, but he was still family.

“Waiting for someone, brat?” Without moving his body, Luffy twisted his head over his shoulder. There in the woods, head sticking out of the late afternoon shadows with an enormous, dangerous, _terrifying_ smile, was his grandpa.

“AHHHHHHHHHH!”

Luffy ran, Garp resuming his rampage through the woods after him, much closer than before. Now, instead of shouting threats, Garp just laughed maniacally.

Luffy burst clear of the woods, which was bad. No place to hide. Then he saw the big house on the hill. The one Usopp’s friend lived in. She was nice, even if the butler guy was a stupid-head. He thought he could even see her window from here. Luffy threw his arms behind him, being careful to keep them out of Gramps’ reach, then flung them towards the high wall surrounding the house.

**“Gum-Gum Rocket!”**

It was only once he was in the air that Luffy realized he was going to miss the window and hit the tree instead. Not that it would hurt, but it would slow him down in finding a place to hide. He twisted in mid-air, now spinning like a bullet as he arced towards the window. All the spinning made him kind of dizzy, but Luffy was pretty sure he saw a tall, dark shape there. Was it butler guy? Luffy didn’t like him, vaguely remembered something about him being a bad guy. But if Luffy hurt him, the nice girl might get mad.

“LOOK OUT!” 

Luffy guessed he didn’t yell soon enough, because he crashed into the person, his round head slamming into their chest. He heard a groan of pain as they went flying into the house and through the wall into the next room. Then through the door into the hall. Then through the wall of the room across the hall. Then through the far wall and out of the house. Whoever he hit took the brunt of the impact against the stone outer wall, which finally brought them to a halt.

* * *

Luffy picked himself up unsteadily, shaking his head like a wet dog as Nami, Usopp, and Kaya rushed around the side of the house. Kuro sat embedded in the wall, drooling and moaning softly.

“Luffy, that was incredible!” Usopp gushed, before coughing and continuing in a more patronizing tone. “The Great Captain Usopp knew you had it in you. Are you sure you won’t join my crew?”

“Nope, but you should join my crew. I need someone who tells fun stories and can shoot and stuff!”

Nami, slightly more accustomed to Luffy’s insanity, was not nearly as impressed. “What the heck was that? And where have you been? I got cut fighting this guy while you were off messing around!”

Luffy blinked, and inspected her arm closely. “Butler guy did this?” He turned on the unconscious pirate. “You jerk! You can’t hurt my nakama!”

“Luffy, it’s fine,” Nami assured him, a little surprised he was that angry about it. “He’s already out cold. Although maybe hit him one more time to be sure.”

“Nami, I’m sure we have supplies inside to treat those cuts,” Kaya offered, before seeing the scope of the damage to her home. “Oh dear. Well, I hope we do. . .”

Luffy turned as well, and seeing the massive hole that ran through the house, turned back to Kaya, confused. “Why do you have a big hole in your house? Doesn’t it get drafty?”

 _“You did it!”_ Usopp and Nami shouted together. Luffy’s eyes grew large and he fell at Kaya’s feet.

“Oh no! I’m sorry! Please don’t be mad! I need you to hide me!”

The trio stared, confused, until Usopp spoke up. “Wait, is that guy you called Gramps still chasing you?”

At Luffy’s vigorous, frightened nodding, Nami asked. “His grandfather? Who is it?”

“Some big Marine,” Usopp answered. “Even Kuro was scared of him.”

Nami could believe someone related to Luffy was scary, given what she’d seen when he got angry against Buggy. That the person would be a Marine was harder to grasp. Help with that arrived on the scene, as Garp came crashing through the walls from the direction Luffy came from. First the wall ringing the manor, then the walls _of_ the manor. The rubber boy yelped and dove behind the other three as the Vice-Admiral stomped forward.

“There you are, Luffy! This pirate nonsense ends now! You’re coming with me to become a proper Marine!”

“Nooooooo!” the boy wailed. Garp ignored this, taking another step forward, only to find a slip of a girl in a sleeping gown shaking off the arm of the curly-haired stringbean from the beach and stepping into his path.

“You leave him be.”

Garp raised one eyebrow in amusement. The girl was not well, judging by the paleness of her skin, and the tremors in her Voice. Garp thought she might collapse if he so much as shouted at her. Even so, she lifted her chin, doing her best to try and look down on someone twice her height.

“Marines are supposed to arrest criminals, correct? That man,” she pointed at that rat Kuro, “posed as my butler for three years, intending to kill me and steal my fortune, and is apparently a notorious pirate the Marines claimed they executed three years ago. These people stopped him from harming me. Meaning they did _your_ job.”

Garp glanced at the other two brats standing next to his grandson. Both sets of eyes flicked back and forth between him and the girl. The orange-haired girl’s Voice said she didn’t know whether to grab the sick girl and run or fight him to protect her. The longnose was petrified _almost_ all the way to the bone, but trying his damnedest not to show it. There was a core of something tougher deep down. Chin up and chest puffed out, even as his knees were knocking. He reminded Garp of someone, but the Marine couldn’t place him.

“You have no right to harass any of them. If you intend to do your duty, you can take this criminal and then leave my home.”

Kaya tried to sound stern, but inside she trembled. She had never been good at giving orders, never had to be good at it. Someone else always looked after her and all the requirements of running the manor and the family business. But Usopp and his new friends saved her life, so she owed them something. And if they could be brave and fight Klaha- _Kuro_ , she could be brave for them.

Garp watched silently. He could, of course, claim rights on Luffy as his guardian. Could deal with all of them with his little finger. On the other hand, his grandson hadn’t, as far as he knew, actually done any pirating yet. He stopped a corrupt Marine from escaping imprisonment, and beat a murdering pirate. (Two, if his new cabin brat was right about Alvida.)

Maybe Luffy would manage to do good if left to his own devices, and realize becoming a Marine was the right thing to do.

(Garp would never admit knowing there was no better chance of diverting Luffy from the path he’d chosen than there had been with Dragon. Less, actually. Dragon wouldn’t have become a revolutionary if the world wasn’t so completely fucked. Luffy was probably always going to want to do whatever he pleased. Which didn’t mean Garp wasn’t going to wring Shanks’ neck the next time he saw that one-armed bastard.)

Instead Garp erupted in a big belly laugh, which made Luffy cower even more, and the other three jump in surprise.

“I guess you have me there, little lady. I’ll just take this pirate,” he stepped around them and pried Kuro’s limp body from the wall, “and be on my way.” 

Rather than do more damage to the property, Garp walked to the gate and opened it calmly. He looked at Luffy over his shoulder. The boy was on his feet now, staring at his grandfather in open astonishment.

“Keep your nose clean, you rubber brat. If I hear you’re going around being a pirate, I’ll hunt you down and straighten you out with a Fist of Love.”

“Stupid Gramps! I am a pir-“ He was cut off by the two brats clamping their hands over his mouth. Garp watched them struggle to keep Luffy quiet for another moment before turning and heading for the shore.

Suddenly, he wasn’t as excited about his vacation. Maybe he’d go somewhere other than Dawn Island this year. Or just hang around Headquarters. Annoying Sengoku was always fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly, because of the cost of repairs for Kaya's home, Merry will only be half the size it was in canon. (I'm kidding. I know Merry was already built by then.)
> 
> Oh Garp, maybe your grandson would want to be around you if you didn't spend all your family bonding time kicking the shit out of him.
> 
> I love writing Usopp, he's great fun. Also my 3rd favorite Straw Hat after Zoro and Robin.


	44. Unwelcome Assistance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoro's got no problem challenging Arlong and his crew. Robin, to her surprise, wouldn't mind, either.
> 
> But she's not the type to stay where she's not wanted, so it's down to whether the locals want the help or not.

“Stop!”

Robin didn’t ease her grip on Chew, but she didn’t finish him. The command came from a man with a heavily scarred face and, of all things, a pinwheel stuck in his hat. There was a young woman, a bit shorter than Robin, with light blue hair, standing one step behind him. Both of them surveyed the scene with a mixture of awe and despair.

Zoro readied his sword. This guy carried himself like he was in charge. He might try to catch them for their bounties. He didn’t look too strong, but his scars said he'd definitely been through some shit.

“What’s going on here?” Pinwheel demanded.

“The guy who fixes boats is fixing our boat,” Zoro pointed in the shipwright’s direction. Lando jumped a little, as if he hoped everyone forgot he was there. Pinwheel didn’t seem happy with the answer, continuing to glare.

“That isn’t what I meant!” he barked. “I’m speaking about this,” he gestured vaguely at the dead or wounded Fishmen.

“It’s called a fight,” Zoro drawled. “Figured you’d recognize one, unless you’re just really bad at shaving.”

Robin sighed, and Zoro knew without turning she was giving him that look. The one that said he needed to stop being an asshole. Which was true, but Zoro was a little tense. The forest kept moving after he beat Hachi, so it took time to get close enough to sense Robin and find his way back. Then he finds her in the middle of a fight. She clearly handled it, but he worried about not being there. Trust was a fragile thing with Robin, and Zoro did not want hers to waver when it came to him. Not again.

(Finding out she’d been under attack because of the outcome of _his_ fight didn’t help.)

Robin explained she tried to follow Lando’s advice to do as Chew demanded, but had to defend herself. Pinwheel frowned, but didn’t look like he doubted her. “Your actions are likely to cause problems for our village.”

“Why? None of you had anything to do with this.” Zoro wasn’t an idiot. He knew the Fishmen had these people under their thumbs. He just wanted Pinwheel to admit it.

The older man wouldn’t playing along. “We have an. . . agreement with them. It’s delicate, there are conditions to it, and this may destroy it.”

“It’s not much of an “agreement” if they can blame you for shit you had nothing to do with,” Zoro pointed out. “It’s just you handing over your lives and telling them they can end you whenever they want.”

Pinwheel took one step forward, fists clenched. “Easy to say, when you have no ties and can just move on from whatever wreckage you leave behind!”

Zoro remained unmoved. “If the problem’s solved, you can rebuild wreckage.”

“I believe Zoro is trying to say, if your situation is so dire, perhaps it needs resolving.”

The scarred man jolted at that. Robin probably shouldn’t have said it aloud, even though she knew it was what Zoro meant. When presented with a problem, her friend usually chose to confront it directly. 

But the two of them needed to get out of the East Blue. They longer they tarried, the tighter the Marines could seal the exits. This was not the time to be fighting battles against the strongest crew in this sea.

Her gaze flicked to Lando and his sons. The father was working as fast as possible on _Pipit_ , doing all he could to ignore the discussion, the wounded and the dead. The sons abandoned all pretense of working and were staring at the scene with naked excitement.

Maybe they reminded her too much of Yomi, Sano, and the others. How their eyes slowly brightened once they were away from that island, free of the nightmare. She wondered if Zoro was thinking the same. His face gave none of his thoughts away.

“You’re offering to fight Arlong and his crew?” The young woman spoke for the first time, sounding highly skeptical.

“If this is the best he’s got,” Zoro gestured to Hachi and Chew, “it won’t be much of a fight. Besides, they might decide to come after us later.”

He turned to Robin. “It’d be better to fight them on land than in the middle of the ocean, right?”

She nodded grimly, as she tried to weigh their options. Could they sail far enough, fast enough, to escape pursuit? Or was fighting the best approach?

“Arlong is much stronger than anyone in his crew,” Pinwheel responded, “and he has far more men than just these.”

Zoro shrugged. “Not like we haven’t faced long odds before.”

“What are you getting out of it? Arlong’s bounty?” The girl was still suspicious, but she was wavering.

Zoro looked at Robin. “Can we even claim bounties now?”

“Not without a disguise, or finding someone else to turn them in.”

Zoro scratched his head. “Repair our ship for free? Give us some food and good sake? I could use a couple decent swords.” Those he carried in his hands had been damaged since fighting that Marine in the secret base. One finally broke on that last Dragon Twister. He should have asked Sensei for a replacement, but hadn’t gotten to it with everything else.

The locals gawked. “That’s it?”

He gestured to their ship. “We don’t have a lot of room to carry fancy crap.”

The two exchanged a look. “Would you excuse us a moment?”

Zoro didn’t miss the ear that appeared on Pinwheel’s back as soon as the two turned away, but headed towards Robin.

“Are you alright?”

Robin smiled gently. “Perfectly. Only a few broken bones, and hardly any internal bleeding.” Zoro frowned. “I’m joking. I’m unharmed.”

He glanced at her wet clothes. “You look like you fell in the sea.”

“Not quite. That one,” she gestured to Chew, now unconscious after Robin found some pressure points “can spit water at high speed.”

“ _He spit on you?_ What kind of cheap shit is that?”

“I imagine he wasn’t as concerned with winning honorably as you, Zoro.” Robin couldn’t exactly throw stones. She was no stranger to fighting dirty when she had to.

“Um, excuse me, could I patch my friends up? The ones that are still alive, I mean.” Hachi watched nervously from where he sat.

The partners share a look. Zoro offered the octopus a hand up. “As long as they don’t try and start another fight.”

Hachi glanced over the survivors. They were all either unconscious like Chew, or trying hard to pretend. “I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem.”

* * *

Once she thought they were far enough away, Nojiko asked, “Should we take them up on it?”

“You can’t be serious,” Genzo responded. “You’ve heard what they did. They slaughtered an orphanage and two dozen Marines!”

“You really think that was true? You really think those two,” she gestured towards the former bounty hunters. Zoro was watching Hachi work, and staying between the Fishmen and his partner. Robin appeared to be watching Lando, but Nojiko felt sure the woman knew they were staring. “killed a bunch of kids?”

Genzo didn’t reply. Nojiko continued, “The Marines who say they did that are the same ones who insist there’s nothing going on here. That everything is just fine. And even if it is true, maybe we need monsters to beat monsters.” 

Genzo’s glare hardened. Nojiko was undeterred. “Genzo, they beat seven of Arlong’s crew, including Hachi and Chew. They’re barely even breathing hard.”

The girl felt an unfamiliar lightness in her chest. It might be hope. Real hope. For all that she supported Nami, she didn’t believe her sister would succeed. Not for lack of effort or skill, but because Arlong would never let Nami loose. Nojiko and the others were his leash on her. She was sure Nami knew it to, but wouldn't admit it her efforts were for nothing. And Nojiko couldn't quiet the little bit of false hope she carried, just to shatter her sister's illusions.

Genzo’s expression wavered. “It would just be the two of them, Nojiko.”

“Not if we help.”

Genzo turned back to her, and his weary eyes fell on Nojiko like a mountain. “Even if we help. _Especially_ if we help. You know the gap between our strength and Arlong’s crew. If those two aren’t the monsters the Marines say, Arlong will use us as shields to force them to stand down, then kill them. If they are, they’ll simply go through us to get at Arlong.”

“Even if they win, most of us will die. If they lose, we’ll be _lucky_ just to die in reprisal. Is that what you want Nami to return to?”

Nojiko flinched. It was a cheap shot, but it was true. They let Nami think she had them fooled, because it helped her somehow to believe everyone hated her for being a turncoat. They knew her goal was to buy their freedom, so everyone played along. Because if it actually worked, they could be freed without further bloodshed, which is what Nami wanted.

Genzo placed a hand on her shoulder in support. “We all want to do more to get out from beneath Arlong than we are. But we agreed to wait. To fight by being patient, letting Nami try it her way. She’s still trying, isn’t she?”

Genzo was like her. He hoped one of these days Nami would just sail away and never come back. Go chase her own dream, rather than run herself ragged for Arlong. But the stubborn girl showed no sign of giving up. Her last visit, Nami said she only needed another 10 million Beris. 

_‘A couple more trips, Nojiko. We'll be free.’_

Nami should be on her way back, if not already, then soon. Then they’d know.

Nojiko released a long, shuddering breath. Willing the anger down. Willing herself to wait a little longer. “OK, let’s go tell them.”

* * *

Robin and Zoro watched the two approach. Hachi, busy bandaging the flounder’s leg, cast an apprehensive glance their way. If they decided to attack Arlong, he was probably the first to die. Well, him or Chew.

“You’re not interested in our help,” Robin said before they could speak. Genzo startled, unable to hide his surprise. Zoro answered the question he saw on his face.

“The woman can’t help using her powers to eavesdrop.”

“You didn’t complain when I used that ability to gather information on bounties, Mister Roronoa.”

“I didn’t know you were using powers back then,” he retorted. “And I wasn’t complaining.”

Robin hummed in response, lips turned up in amusement. Genzo coughed, trying to regain equilibrium.

“You’re correct. We already have someone trying to. . . resolve our problem. She’s worked hard for years, and deserves the chance to see it through.”

“Unless you two want to stay until she returns?” Nojiko offered. Genzo glared at her. “In case Arlong doesn’t honor the deal.”

“No, thank you,” Robin answered. “As you’re aware, it’s better we not stay in one place too long.” As far as Robin was concerned, the conversation was done. She turned to Lando. 

“Mister Shipwright, are you finished?”

He nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. “Your hull is good to go. Keep taking care of it like you have been, and it should be fine for some time.”

“Thank you for your excellent work on such a tight deadline,” Robin shook his hand and handed over the 150,000 Beris. 

Then she handed Hachi 100,000 more. The octopus stared at it, dumbfounded. “Chew mentioned a toll of 50,000 Beris for any human landing on the island. Was that true?”

“Huh? The toll? No, that’s for people living on the island. You aren’t staying, so I don’t think it counts.” 

The Fishman rose gingerly, handing the money back. “Here, let me help you get your boat in the water.”

Zoro walked past him. “You’re pretty beat up. We’ll do it together.”

“Gently, Zoro,” Robin called. “I don’t want to have Mister Shipwright’s work undone immediately.”

Zoro grumbled about bossy women, but he and Hachi each took an end, carefully moving it onto the waves. Zoro came back on shore, substantially wetter than he was before.

“I told you to let me take the stern,” Hachi said apologetically. “I don’t mind getting wet.”

“You didn’t need salt water in your wounds,” Zoro said, wringing out his shirt. He didn’t want to admit he meant to let Hachi take the stern. He didn’t know how he ended up at the rear of the boat. 

He faced the octopus, and pinned him with his stare. It reminded Hachi a little of Arlong, when he was in a mood. “Hachi, about what the lady over there said, asking us to stay. . .”

The octopus might seem scatterbrained, but he caught onto some things fast. “Huh? Which lady? Oh, Nojiko? No, Arlong wouldn’t listen to me anyway. Especially since I lost to a human!”

Hachi threw back his head to laugh bashfully, but Zoro didn’t miss the fear and dread in his posture. “Maybe this isn’t the place for you.”

The octopus’ laugh cut off abruptly, and he looked at Zoro bleakly. “It’s better than having no place at all, you know?”

Zoro wasn’t sure he did know. He hadn’t had many places he considered home, and it didn’t bother him. The place he was born hadn’t been much of a home. The dojo, yes, at first. Not so much after Kuina died, even if Zoro only vaguely noticed, lost in the haze that enveloped everything other than his constant training for years. When he’d returned last week, it hadn’t felt like a place he belonged any longer. And since he’d gone to sea? An endless string of forgettable inns, or camping in the wilderness.

“It’s probably best we leave before we’re discovered by another patrol, Zoro.”

He nodded once to Hachi, then climbed on board _Pipit_. Glancing around the deck as he used an oar to push them further from shore, Zoro saw his pile of weights in the corner where they always sat. The bucket of random crap Robin threw at him for Haki training nearby. His favorite napping spot by Robin’s chair. His hand drifted along the railing, wood smooth and familiar under his fingers. Robin at the helm, alert for danger, the wind just starting to pick up to where it could play with her hair.

Maybe Zoro did have a place he belonged, after all.

Robin noticed him staring. “Is something the matter?”

He shook his head, went to raise the sail. The ocean rose to their right, and Momoo appeared again. Zoro’s instinct was to reach for his swords, but it didn’t look hostile. Robin probably wanted to talk to it regardless.

“Thank you for letting us land here and repair our ship, Momoo,” the archaeologist said sweetly. She held a bag of apples up this time. The sea cow seemed to like them as much as the cabbage, if the way his tail waved was any indication. He remained alongside as the island receded from view, but halted before it vanished from sight entirely.

Robin motioned and Momoo lowered his head to her level. She rubbed his nose and tossed one more apple. “Take care of yourself. If anyone asks which direction we went, would you send them the wrong way?”

Momoo’s enormous skull bobbed in agreement as he plucked the apple from the air. Then he turned back towards Cocoyashi Village, the wake from his movements giving _Pipit_ a brief extra push on its way towards Loguetown.

* * *

“You OK with this?”

Robin glanced away from the wheel. The sun was going down, but Zoro remained at the stern, watching for any signs of pursuit. She hoped his Observation Haki was up to the task.

“I’m sure Momoo will lead them astray long enough for us to be safely away.”

He glanced back over his shoulder at her. “Not what I meant. You wanted to help them. Maybe you’re the one turning into a fairy tale knight.”

She laughed, pushing the idea away. “Nothing like that. I thought it was simply a situation where their needs and ours aligned. But they seem content to leave things as they are.”

“Uh-huh.”

Robin looked at the sea beneath the steadily darkening sky. “You can’t help someone who doesn’t wish to be helped.”

“Speaking from experience?”

“Yes, but I maintain hope you’ll grow less stubborn one of these days, Zoro."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went back-and-forth on Nojiko and Genzo, as to which might advocate teaming up with Robin and Zoro, and which would argue against it. In this case, I decided Nojiko would want to free Nami, regardless the risk, while Genzo wouldn't want to endanger the village and risk causing Nami emotional suffering.
> 
> But I think I could have just as easily wrote it that Genzo's sick of sitting around letting Bell-mere's daughter take all the pain and suffering, and Nojiko's the one that doesn't want her sister coming home to a bunch of dead friends. She did basically tell Usopp to stop trying to fight the Fishmen (although he didn't look nearly as impressive as Robin and Zoro).
> 
> Maybe it came down to what kind of morning they each had. If Genzo had a particularly humiliating experience with Kuroobi that day, maybe he would have been all, "Forget controlling my anger, let's riot!"
> 
> Anyway, next chapter, Robin and Zoro hit Loguetown.


	45. Like Looking Into Someone Else's Mirror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro reach Loguetown, but the Marine trouble they have is one they didn't expect.

A few days of sailing later, Loguetown came into view. It sat low on the sea, the sun only sporadically forcing its way through the clouds overhead. Robin sailed past the harbor, circling the entire island, studying it carefully. The town took up most of the island, she noted, sprawling across it, yet there was only the one harbor. She wondered if it had always been like that, or if the Marines were trying to create a bottleneck.

Zoro spent the time practicing his forms, trying to sense the breath of the world, without success. He didn’t know what Robin was looking for exactly, but she’d tell him when she was ready. Eventually, she anchored in a small cove a quarter of the way around the island. 

“I expect the Marines will be keeping a close eye on the harbor for any ships matching _Pipit’s_ description. This way we can enter town from further inland.”

“Could backfire if they spot us and we need to leave in a hurry,” Zoro pointed out. He stood on deck waiting while Robin changed in her cabin. 

“That’s true,” she called up, “but it seems a smaller risk, especially if we can disguise ourselves. Are you willing to carry only one sword?”

Zoro shrugged. “Wado’s the only one I’d trust in a fight right now, anyway. One broke fighting Hachi, the other won’t last much longer. I’m gonna need more swords, though, if the Grand Line is like you say.”

“That will be one stop to make. We should try to restock our food stores as well.” 

“Maybe if you hadn’t kept feeding that sea cow it wouldn’t be an issue,” Zoro grumbled.

Robin’s laughter tinkled pleasantly in his ear as she climbed the stairs. “Oh, Zoro, didn’t you find it adorable how Momoo would eat directly from my hands? Or perhaps you’re jealous I don’t feed you like that?”

Zoro spun to ask where she got _that_ notion from (even as pictures of her doing just that flashed across his imagination), only to lose his train of thought. Contrary to her usual lowkey jeans and shirts hidden beneath that cloak, Robin wore the same dress she had the night Champ du Rene tried to kill her. 

What was left of it, anyway. She’d removed the right shoulder, where the Shigan pierced her, so the dress hung loosely from her left shoulder across the top of her chest. The skirt had been slashed by the Ryankaku near the knee, so she cut it off mid-thigh. It wasn’t like Zoro didn’t know she was tall, but he felt as though he’d never realized how long her legs were.

“See something you like, Mister Swordsman?” Robin asked innocently, one eyebrow raised in a knowing smirk.

Zoro’s brain struggled to regain traction. He managed to mumble, “I thought we were trying not to draw attention.”

“True, but neither of us dress in attention-getting clothes most of the time. It’s other things that are likely to identify us, so if we can keep their eyes off our faces, it should help. May I borrow your bandana?”

Zoro handed it over, and Robin bunched her hair up under it, tying it off like she was preparing for housework. That done, she turned a critical eye on Zoro. The swordsman took an uneasy step back, wondering just what the woman would decide qualified as a good disguise for him. 

Robin closed the distance, and unbuttoned his shirt to just above the belt, exposing his toned stomach. A chain of hands emerged from the cabin holding a familiar-looking green trenchcoat.

“Yosaku forgot one when he left,” she explained. “It looks as though there’s a band inside to hang your sword.”

“So I can keep Wado hidden, and leave my haramaki here.”

“Exactly. And as a final touch. . .” She produced a cavalier hat she’d bought him on Papillion to match hers and set it firmly on his head, brim pulled down to partially shadow his face.

Zoro leaned over the side to check his reflection in the sea. “You sure this is going to work?”

“I think it has a good chance,” Robin said, moving over the side gracefully. At least that short skirt didn’t restrict her movements, Zoro noted. As soon as he stood next to her, Robin linked her right arm with his left and turned towards town.

“You don’t want to split up?”

Robin paused. “Why?” She noticed Zoro looking at their linked arms.

“You said it would be better to get this done quickly and leave.”

“I think any time we might gain dividing tasks would be lost when I had to search all over town for you. But if you really prefer. . .” Robin let go of him.

“I wouldn’t get lost,” he protested, out of habit as much as anything. He hooked her left arm with his right. “If you think this is better, let me stay on this side. I’ll be able to draw Wado faster with this arm free.”

Robin seemed satisfied with that, smiling happily. “We look like a young couple out on a date. Or perhaps you’re a dangerous pirate on your way to the Grand Line, and I’m a barmaid you’ve picked up for a last evening of passion before you depart.”

“I haven’t seen anyone working in bars that look as good as you,” Zoro said absently. When his mind caught up, he turned red. He didn’t retract it (since it was true). Nor did he miss that Robin smiled a little wider.

* * *

The duo moved quickly through the woods, as it wasn’t far to the nearest road to town. Robin advised Zoro against cutting through the underbrush, in case someone got curious about the path and followed it to _Pipit_. Zoro struggled with Yosaku’s coat getting caught on branches and thorns, but Robin moved through the brush with ease.

“How do you manage that?” he muttered.

Not that the trenchcoat was that high quality, but Zoro figured he ought to try not to look like complete trash if they were supposed to be a couple. The coat’s sickly green color didn’t help.

“I have a lot of experience sneaking through dangerous situations without alerting anyone.”

Zoro knew Robin could move silently, he’d tried to learn from her. But her grace and ease was maybe even more impressive.

“We should use aliases while in town,” Robin said. “Our disguises won’t help much if I call you Zoro in front of a group of Marines.”

“So you’ll be Raserei again?”

She shook her head. “They know I was traveling with you, they might have heard that name, even though I tried to stay unnoticed. I have others. For now, call me Winterfast Elizabeth.”

Zoro repeated the name to himself a few times, so it would roll off the tongue naturally. He hoped. “OK Elizabeth. I’ll be. . . San. San Toryu.”

“Fufufufu. I don’t think that will fool many people, Zoro.”

“Blade Sharp?” Robin tried to look serious as she shook her head, but her whole body trembled from trying not to laugh.

“Let’s just use “Johnny” for the time being,” she suggested. “It’ll be easy to remember.”

“San Toryu would have been easy to remember, too,” Zoro grumbled, almost sulking.

Robin patted his cheek. “Don’t worry, Johnny. Next time you can use your idea.”

* * *

The town itself was fine. Marble streets and well-maintained buildings. Seemed to be a lot of archways, Zoro thought. It didn’t matter to him, but it was different from any other town he’d seen. There were few Marines, far fewer than on the streets in Shells Town. He commented as such. 

Robin closed her eyes for a few seconds. “Most are at the harbor, watching for suspicious persons, or at the base, so they can be easily summoned when needed.”

They found the marketplace easily enough, and with Robin’s powers, it didn’t take long to find the best prices. The vendors they dealt with agreed to fill their order and hold it until they finished their other errands, and one agreed to loan them a small cart.

“I could just carry it all myself, you know,” Zoro grumbled as they left. 

“I know you could, Johnny baby,” Robin cooed in a bubbly voice, then continued more softly, “demonstrating your impressive strength would draw too much attention.”

“It wouldn’t be that weird, would it?” Robin's response was a flat look.

OK, maybe he was a little unhappy because they hadn’t bought much sake. Robin insisted they had to be more careful with their money, since bounty hunting was going to be trickier. If it could continue at all.

 _‘No point complaining now,’_ he thought as they exited the market. “What’s left? You need anything else?”

Robin scanned shopfronts as they walked. “I think our clothes will do, although a new heavy coat would be a wise investment. Winter islands can be extreme. I’m not sure we have time to search the bookstores for anything on swordsmanship.”

He’d almost forgotten she promised to help him with that. “Don’t sweat it. I’m not sure it’s something I could find in a book anyway. So good coats if we see ‘em. That all?”

“I’d like to see if there’s a store with Log Poses, and especially any Eternal Poses.”

“What are those?”

Robin paused at a flower stall, pointing one or another out to him as she spoke. “Aren’t they lovely?” Quietly, “On the Grand Line, a normal compass is useless. Each island has its own magnetic field. A Log Pose will point to the next island, and once it is reached, will reset to the next island after a variable amount of time.”

Zoro got lost somewhere around “reset”, but nodded anyway. “Eternal Pose?”

“A Log Pose that always points to a particular island. If we can find one for Alabasta especially, that would be helpful.”

“What if nobody has any? Can’t imagine Marines want those getting handed out to pirates.”

“Very true, but there are always people willing to sell such things under the table. If we can’t find them, I still have my Log Pose from before I came to the East Blue. It’s just that they’re fragile. A spare would be useful.”

* * *

Ensign Balsa marched down the road wearily, rifle slung over her shoulder. She let her head drop and it pounded. She raised it. The pounding moved to a different spot, but didn’t diminish. She went to take another drink from her water pouch, only to find it was dry. She groaned miserably. 

_‘Why did I let Aoi talk me into it?’_

Balsa’s fellow ensign and friend Aoi gathered several Marines on base and got them to hit up the Gold Roger Bar the night before, for some drinking and off-key singing. Aoi loved it there, found it hilarious for Marines to claim a bar named after the so-called King of the Pirates.

Balsa didn’t care for the place herself. The owner was a tiny little man who looked to be about 200 years old. He scowled all the time, like his face froze that way ages ago, but Balsa thought he scowled a little more when he looked at Marines. The expression that much sourer.

The real problem was, Aoi had night watch, so he had the entire day to sleep it off. Balsa had patrol duty first thing in the morning.

_‘Idiot, I’m a complete idiot. Every time I say never again, and every time I let him talk me into it.’_

The island had several old harbors besides the main one in town. The Marines destroyed the docks and piers at all of them, but every once in a while, a pirate still anchored there, trying to be sneaky. So every day, Captain Smoker assigned someone to circle the island, checking them. Today, that was Ensign Balsa.

_‘I’m three-quarters of the way done, at least.’_

She paused to check the map. She was pretty sure there was a small cove near here, and considered just skipping it. She hadn’t found any ships today. Never did. But Captain Smoker had an unerring ability to know when the men under his command shirked their duties, and Balsa did not want to be on the man’s bad side.

(Not that she was sure the Captain had a good side. A less-grumpy side, maybe.)

She found the spot, she thought, and picked her way through the trees awkwardly. At least this was one of the coves that was close to the road.

* * *

Robin and Zoro found a shop that sold Log Poses, but unfortunately, no Eternal Poses. Still, Robin wouldn’t turn her nose up at a spare. The shop owner even pointed them in the direction of a nearby sword shop.

The owner was a short, bowlegged man named Ipponmitsu, who eyed them suspiciously when they entered.

“Yeah, what are ya lookin’ for?”

Zoro ignored him, scanning the interior. His eyes fell on a barrel with several sword hilts sticking out from it.

“My boyfriend is looking for a pair of swords,” Robin explained, maintaining an energetic persona. “He’s soooo great with them!”

“Huh,” the shopkeeper scoffed. “That’s what he tells ya, maybe, but he’s looking through the junk swords.”

Robin glanced at her partner, who was picking through a barrel with an intense expression. “Johnny, I know I said we need to budget ourselves, but you can spend more than that.” It wouldn’t do any good to try and save money buying cheap swords, only to have to buy more swords when those broke.

Zoro didn’t respond at first, and Robin thought he’d forgotten his alias, but he finally replied, “That’s OK, I think I found a good one.”

The shopkeeper let out a strangled scream as Zoro held a katana in a deep red sheath. He drew the blade, and Robin would swear the air around him darkened. The swordsman’s grin intensified, taking on that dangerous feral glint it had during fights that truly excited him. She found herself caught between wanting to step back, get clear of the danger all her senses insisted was near, and wanting to step closer and knock the blade from his hand.

“No, no, no, no, no, you don’t want that one,” the shopkeeper insisted. “I couldn’t in good conscience sell it to you! That’s a Sandai blade! All its owners have met with a violent and bloody end! It’s a cursed sword!”

“Violent and bloody end,” Zoro replied absently, eyes sizing up the sword like an adversary. “That’s how a swordsman’s life should end. Violently, in battle. But if you say it’s cursed. . .”

With that, he tossed it casually in the air, and stuck out his arm. The blade rotated end over end as it rose, almost scraping the ceiling. Then it began to fall, picking up speed as it did. Robin felt she was watching a crazed beast hurtle at Zoro, fangs bared. Zoro showed no reaction. He didn’t even watch it fall, eyes fixed on some point on the wall in front of him.

It missed his arm, turning so the back slid along the curve of his bicep. It embedded in the floor to the hilt. Zoro grinned as he reached down and pulled it from the floor. “Looks like my luck beats the curse.” 

The shopkeeper fainted. Robin only outward reaction was letting out the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. She’d been eyeballing the rate of rotation in her head, and felt reasonably sure it wouldn’t take his arm, but something about the sword left her uncertain. She felt the urge to smack Zoro, to scold him for being so reckless. But that was how Zoro was, she supposed, and Robin was not the sort to fluster easily.

Then again, she was playing a role today, and “Elizabeth” was not so hardened by experience. She dope-slapped him upside the back of the head. 

Zoro whirled, shocked. “What was that for?!”

 _“What was that for?!”_ she mimicked his low growl as best she could. “What do you think?! You go around throwing swords at yourself and ask me that! What would you have done if it cut your arm off?”

He stared at her like she’d begun speaking in tongues. “I’d. . . fight with. . . two swords, then?”

“Oh, is that all you’re worried about?” Robin was having fun by this point, taking the edge off her nerves. “This is the arm I take when we come to town.” She wrapped her arms around it to illustrate the point, holding it against her chest. “What am I supposed to do if it’s gone?”

Zoro could not understand what the hell was going on. Did someone hit her on the head? He needed to get out of here and make sure she was OK. “I’m. . .sorry? Elizabeth?”

“Apology accepted.” She kissed him on the cheek, smiling mischievously while he gawked. By that point, the shopkeeper regained consciousness.

“That was incredible! I haven’t seen a swordsman of your caliber in some time! Please wait there!” The man dashed into the rear of his shop, returning a few minutes later with another blade. A light katana, with a black sheath.

“This is Yubashiri, the highest quality sword I have. It’s been in my family for generations. I know a swordsman of your skill will do right by it. I’d be honored if you’d accept it!”

Zoro wasn’t going to decline a free sword, especially one of such quality. He twirled it easily in his hand. It was light and responsive, should be good for quick, deft movements. “How much do I owe you for the other one?”

The man shook his head. “Nothing. You’re doing me a favor taking the Sandai blade. I couldn’t bear to give it to a swordsman who couldn’t control it, but I also couldn’t bear to destroy it. Cursed or not, it’s a high-quality sword.”

Zoro sure as hell wasn’t going to decline _two_ free swords. 

_‘Maybe I can convince Robin to go back and get some more sake. We could buy some of that wine she likes, too.’_

Accepting Ipponmitsu’s gifts graciously, Zoro sheathed both blades and gripped them in one hand as he turned to leave with Robin. As she opened the door, someone came stumbling through. Zoro caught them easily with his free hand before they hit the floor. He noted the person didn’t lose their grip on the katana they were carrying as they fell, although he heard something clatter to the floor at his feet. 

Robin knelt to pick up a pair of glasses and held them out as the person stood up.

“Thank you very much,” the woman said. She turned to face Zoro before putting the glasses on, and he felt the world fall away beneath him.

_‘No, it can’t be.’_

* * *

Tashigi hated how clumsy she was sometimes. She’d been trying to hurry to drop off Shigure to be treated by Ipponmitsu before she was due back at Headquarters. There were other swords shops closer, but the owner of this one did the best work. He wasn’t exactly welcoming, but Tashigi worked for Captain Smoker, she could handle a brusque attitude.

Still, it was embarrassing for a Marine to be seen stumbling about like a klutz. Even more so that she crashed into someone when the door opened abruptly before her. Whoever it was must be pretty strong, she mused. She had a good head of steam up, but he barely moved while halting her momentum.

As she stood, someone off to the side handed her glasses back. Tashigi thanked them, but couldn’t make out their face until she put her glasses back on. She tilted her head down out of habit as she donned them, so the first thing she noticed when things stopped being blurry was the person who caught her was holding two swords. High quality swords, at that. She couldn’t recall seeing any that good in the shop before, and wondered if this man brought them in for cleaning, or perhaps to sell.

Gaze traveling up, she found the man holding the swords staring at her with an expression she couldn’t place. He was very pale, and didn’t say anything.

“Thank you for catching me,” thinking perhaps that’s what he was waiting for. He didn’t respond.

“Did I hurt you?” Tashigi had, on occasion, collided with sensitive parts of other people’s anatomy when she lost her balance. She hated that. It's shameful for a Marine to harm someone for no good reason, even accidentally. Plus, the person’s groans or cries of pain usually brought more attention to her clumsiness.

The man’s mouth closed, then opened again, but nothing came out. The person next to him – the one who handed Tashigi her glasses – reached out tentatively to place a hand on his shoulder. The woman was taller than either her friend or Tashigi, in a colorful, revealing outfit with her hair pulled back in a black bandana.

“Johnny,” she asked quietly. “Are you alright?” Tashigi wondered if perhaps the man was unable to speak. The shirt he wore under his trenchcoat was open, and the Marine could see some prominent scars. Perhaps he’d been the victim of pirates?

“It, can’t be,” he finally whispered. “Kuina?”

The tall woman flinched at the name, even as Tashigi grew more confused. The woman turned to her, and the Marine had the sensation of being a bug under a magnifying glass. It was unnerving. Tashigi wasn’t the sort to be intimidated easily, but this woman managed it.

“Uh, no, my name is Tashigi,” she said, hoping to clear things up. “Marine Sergeant Tashigi. Is this Kuina a friend of yours?”

The man was shaking his head, muttering. “What the fuck? _What the fuck. How do you have her face?!_ ”

Tashigi recoiled at his anger, eyes darting between the pair. One hand slid towards the hilt of Shigure. 

“Do you need to see a doctor?”

This man might be mentally unbalanced, in which case Tashigi needed to restrain him until he could receive treatment. At least she’d be able to take care of his swords. Better than having him running around doing who knows what with them.

His friend, who had been staring at him with large, worried eyes, turned sharply on Tashigi. The Marine tightened the grip on her sword a little more. The gaze wasn’t openly hostile, but carried a warning nonetheless: _Back off._

“That isn’t necessary. I believe you remind him of a friend who passed away.” The woman took her friend’s arm gently. “Come on, Johnny, we need to be on our way.”

Tashigi stepped back into the street to give them room to get by. The woman placed herself between her friend and Tashigi, watching her warily. Tashigi didn’t like people looking at her like she was a threat. Unless they were pirates or bounty hunters, or other scum that flouted Justice and abused swords. The woman did look vaguely familiar, but Tashigi couldn’t place her.

“I’m sorry if I caused him any distress,” she called. The woman nodded in acknowledgement, then hurried the two of them away. As Tashigi watched their retreating backs, she thought she saw the sheath of another sword within the folds of the man’s coat as it flapped behind him. She went inside Ipponmitsu’s shop, handing over Shigure and heading back to the street.

_‘He’s carrying two swords in his hand, so why would he have a third - ?’_

Recognition hit her like a flash. She dashed back inside and grabbed her sword from the shopkeeper, who yelled several unrepeatable things at her back. She charged down the street in pursuit, looking in all directions. But the most wanted criminals in the East Blue had vanished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really liked writing the part where Robin reacts to Zoro testing Kitetsu.
> 
> I picture Zoro saying "San Toryu" the way Sokka introduced himself as "Fire. WANG Fire."
> 
> I want to again thank everyone who's reading, kudosing, commenting. The amount of positive feedback the story's gotten is really meant a lot.


	46. Slip Out the Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Robin and Zoro to leave Loguetown. It's not going to be as quiet as they'd like.

Robin scattered her eyes everywhere, saw everything. Saw the moment the Marine realized who they were, running back to get her sword, then sprinting down the street searching for them. By then, she and Zoro were already blocks away, sprinting through the warren of alleys and back streets. Tashigi abandoned the search, but Robin didn’t relax. As expected, the swordswoman turned in the direction of Headquarters.

Robin debated leaving their supplies and heading directly for _Pipit_. The cart would slow them down, especially if Zoro remained in his current, stunned state. The swordsman let her drag him by the arm as she wished. He kept pace easily, but didn’t seem aware of his surroundings. He only avoided crashing into garbage cans and boxes because Robin led him nimbly around them. 

But they needed those supplies on the Grand Line, and she needed Zoro back if they were going to manage this. She paused in the mouth of an alley that opened on the market, getting him to lean against the wall. She clasped his face between both hands, forcing him to look at her. His grey eyes were unlike she’d ever seen them, glassy and unfocused. Or focused on something far away.

“Zoro, I need you to come back,” she whispered urgently, “I understand your surprise, to see someone you thought lost long ago. But I don’t believe that was your friend. She didn’t recognize you, or even her own name.”

Robin waited, seconds ticking past. The Marine was getting closer to HQ. If she made it, the best they could hope was Captain Smoker wasn’t there, and time would be lost to find him. Robin felt confident she could handle the rest of the Marines herself. But if Smoker was there. . . The White Hunter’s reputation spoke of relentless pursuit, and her powers were useless against him.

Zoro released a long, shuddering breath. He trembled for a moment, but his eyes blinked rapidly and began to focus. They found hers, and she could see them seeking something. Reassurance?

“I saw her, too. She does look like the picture your teacher had, but I think it’s merely a strange coincidence. She is a Marine, though, and she’s heading for Headquarters. We need to leave.”

Zoro closed his eyes tightly. Took a deep breath, released it sharply, almost a whistle. Like the air could barely escape. Eyes opened, meeting hers again. He nodded.

“Right. Let’s go.”

* * *

Captain Smoker waited in his office, feet up on his desk, staring at the Transponder Snail with a foul expression. Bad enough a Marine Admiral coming into his territory to capture a pair of criminals. Especially a pair Smoker was more than capable of handling himself. But those were his orders, and Smoker didn’t typically disobey orders.

And Aokiji wasn’t terrible as far as upper brass went. He wasn’t crazy like Garp, or a fanatical bastard like Akainu. Either of those two were likely to destroy the entire island to get Nico Robin. The Mad Dog would probably kill every inhabitant as well if he thought it was necessary.

(Although Garp was strangely subdued when he passed through a few days ago. Dropped off his prisoners, including the supposedly executed Captain Kuro and some crooked Marines, then left with barely a hello. Didn’t walk through a single wall. Which suited Smoker just fine, but it was definitely strange.)

At least, Smoker had _thought_ the Ice Admiral wasn’t so bad. Which made the current situation more galling. Aokiji hadn’t arrived, and no one could give Smoker an ETA on when he might. He knew the Admiral believed in “Lazy Justice”, but he also knew the Admiral asked to handle this. Smoker bit down harder on his entirely unnecessary dual cigars. Where the hell was he?

The door to his office burst open, and his sergeant stood there, breathing heavily. Smoker tried to remember if he told Tashigi she needed to be back for something at this time. For all that he thought she was too soft – not that compassion was necessarily a bad thing in his opinion, but there were people farther up who would disagree – she took orders and responsibility seriously.

He couldn’t remember anything. “What the hell is it, Tashigi?”

“Captain Smoker, Nico Robin and Roronoa Zoro are in town!”

Smoker’s feet slid off his desk and both boots slammed solidly on the floor. Headquarters certainly couldn’t criticize him for capturing the two most wanted criminals in the East Blue when they showed up on his doorstep, with no Admiral in sight.

* * *

Ensign Balsa paused outside Captain Smoker’s office, making certain she had all the facts straight in her head before knocking. The Captain tended to get angry if you stuttered in response to his follow-up questions.

Thinking she was ready, she knocked politely. There was no response. She knocked again. Still nothing. Balsa spied Brad, one of the administrative staff, sitting at his desk in the corner. Really, he was the only staff they needed. Brad had been stationed there since before Roger’s execution, and seemed entirely satisfied with not moving up the ladder. 

_‘Know how everything works here,’_ he said.

“Brad, where’s Captain Smoker?”

The older man was flipping through the newspaper. Skimming his horoscope, most likely. He graciously took time to glance up.

“Sergeant Tashigi came barging in, yelling something about Nico Robin and Roronoa Zoro. They headed into the city. I think you’re gonna have to wait to make your report, Balsa.”

The Devil’s Child and the Tri-Blade Demon, here in the city. Every Marine in the East Blue had been put on alert, advised to look over all relevant information. Including that they used a small sailboat. Like the one Balsa found in the cove.

“Brad, did the Captain take a transponder with him?”

“Pfft,” the man snorted. “He’s not letting anyone call him back once he’s on the hunt. Took most of the on-duty Marines here with him to double-check the docks and the markets.”

Balsa cursed. “If he does return or check in, will you let him know I found a craft that matches the general description of Nico and Roronoa’s at Cove #14?”

Brad raised an eyebrow. “Sure, but what are you gonna do? Just run around until you find him or the Sergeant? You’re not going to try and catch them yourself, are you? Posthumous promotions aren’t all they’re cracked up to be!”

Balsa was already running down the halls towards the barracks. “No, I won’t go after them alone.”

_‘I hope you got enough sleep, Aoi, because you’re about to get a rude wake-up.’_

* * *

Robin and Zoro quickly collected the cart and their supplies, and began the trek back to where their ship was anchored. Robin knew it was only a matter of time until the Marines learned they had been there. 

Still, better to avoid acting suspicious as long as possible. So Robin and Zoro hauled the cart together, chatting like a happy couple out running errands. Well, Robin did most of the talking. Zoro was at least alert again, but it seemed to take more effort than normal, so he barely responded. 

Worse, the tension she’d seen in him since their escape from the secret Marine base had returned. That particular tightness in his shoulders and neck, his back slightly hunched, as though he was drawing in on himself. It had faded gradually since their talk in Shimotsuki Village, but it was back. 

She tried to distract him. “Look at that mime over there Johnny.” 

Zoro’s eyes followed her directions. The mime was pretending to walk against a strong wind.

“You need me to kill him?”

She tittered, keeping up the façade of a bubbly young woman. “You’re always so critical when it comes to the performing arts.”

His eyes flicked from the mime to her. He looked confused, but offered a fraction of a smile. Robin counted it as a win. “If that’s what you call it.” 

The buildings grew sparser as the neared the edge of town, and traffic decreased as well. They dropped the pretense. Zoro gripped both handles and took off at a dead sprint, Robin keeping pace alongside, her powers keeping their supplies from bouncing out of the cart.

“Not much further now.”

He grunted in acknowledgement. “Guess we’re not returning the cart.”

“Sadly no, but given the price the man charged us to use it, I don’t feel terrible about that.”

“Hold it right there, criminals!”

Glancing back, a small group of Marines were rushing after them. At least it wasn’t Smoker. Up ahead, Robin spied where they needed to get off the road. They wouldn’t be able to take the cart through the undergrowth. Which wouldn’t be a problem if they weren’t being pursued by Marines.

“Can you get everything on the ship and get it ready to sail at the same time?” Zoro asked as they stopped at the side of the road. Robin glanced between her partner and the advancing Marines. There weren’t enough of them for her to worry normally, but that Marine swordswoman was in the lead.

“I can handle them Robin. Get yourself to cover.”

Of course. Even with his mind in turmoil, he was trying to protect her, as he promised. And she could load supplies and ready the ship faster than him. Robin nodded, already forming arms to hoist sacks of rice on her back while another set rolled the barrels of water towards the shoreline. Zoro drew all three swords and charged.

* * *

As the Tri-Blade Demon approached, Ensign Balsa was very glad she hadn’t tried to do this just with Aoi and his drinking buddies she found sleeping off last night’s fun. Cutting through the marketplace on their way to the cove, Balsa spotted Sergeant Tashigi and another small group of Marines asking questions, and quickly reported in.

But as Roronoa Zoro tore through the line of Marines that tried to get between him and Sergeant Tashigi, Ensign Balsa began to wish she’d come across Captain Smoker instead.

* * *

The first line of Marines were swept aside easily. Zoro could feel the energy thrumming in both his new swords. Yubashiri bright and eager, Kitetsu wicked and snarling. 

With a shout, the swordswoman jumped into the fray, her own sword flashing towards him. On reflex, he tilted his head and deflected her overhead strike with Wado. She didn’t look very happy those other Marines jumped in front of her. 

_‘Of course not. Kuina wouldn’t appreciate anyone cutting in on her fight. No, she’s not Kuina, focus.’_

Tashigi’s expression shifted from surprise at how easily he parried her attack, to anger, eyes stormier than ever.

“Is that Wado Ichimonji? How did a monster find such a wonderful blade?” She launched herself forward again, and Zoro raised Kitetsu. She shuddered when it parried her sword. He could feel the cursed blade howling to claim blood, to kill. 

The idea of killing Kuina made him ill. Made him see her, lying still and cold. He pushed that memory down, commanding the sword to obey. Tried to banter to make himself concentrate on the present. “What’s it to you, Copycat?”

“A sword like that can only be disgraced being wielded by someone like you!”

The words hit hard. Far harder than her attacks, even as Zoro began giving ground. His memories muddying his mind, slowing his swords, blunting his will. Tashigi might not know what was happening, but she sensed the chance to press him. Her sword flashed, voice rising in intensity.

“It’s the same for those other swords you carry. You, and others like you, defile these masterpieces with your heinous acts! That’s why I’m going to confiscate all the great swords from criminals and weak, immoral people who would taint them!”

The accusation, the ludicrous notion she spouted, momentarily removed the confusion. This wasn’t Kuina. It was just a Marine, buying into the bullshit they said about he and Robin. Thinking that uniform made her superior when she was more focused on some idea of saving swords, rather than the people Marines claimed to protect. Another one like Morgan, like those assholes experimenting on kids. His anger sparked. He’d show her something.

She thrust, aiming for his heart. The attack was precise and accurate, her hands steady and sure. Zoro trapped her blade between Kitetsu and Yubashiri. He let her try to pull it free, let the gap in their strength sink in. 

She kept it together enough to still give orders, “I’ll keep him busy! Stop Nico Robin from escaping!”

Yeah, that wasn’t happening. He shoved her away and launched himself at the Marines.

* * *

Balsa and the others had basically just been standing and watching. Roronoa hadn't seemed to be fighting hard, but he wasn't exactly struggling. The sergeant's shout brought her out of her stupor, and Balsa motioned to Aoi and his friends.

"Let's go!"

The others were not enthused. A couple of them looked ready to just collapse, or puke their booze-filled guts out, but they staggered after her. The ensign rushed towards the trees, trying to come up with some way they could capture Nico Robin.

 **“Demon Cutter!”**

_'Guess that's going to be someone else's problem,'_ Balsa reflected as she went flying.

* * *

Zoro's attack scattered the hungover Marines like chaff in the wind, blood spraying from shallow wounds. The copycat cursed and lost her cool, charging recklessly. Sensing her easily, he twisted out of the way. Kitetsu, mollified by shedding a little blood, landed sharply against the back of her blade, knocking it from her hands. As she stumbled off-balance, he drove Yubashiri’s pommel into her back, sending her sprawling into the dirt.

She struggled to push herself up, halting only when he let Kitetsu rest against her throat. Yubashiri might have been a wiser choice, but Zoro needed the cursed sword to understand who was in charge. The blade practically vibrated in his grip, but it would not draw blood unless he allowed it. 

He gazed down at the Marine, trying to look bored, even as the resemblance tore at him. Kuina glaring at him with disgust. Every time he thought he had it clear in his mind, he looked at her and the doubts returned.

_'It isn't her, or you'd feel some accomplishment for winning.'_

“Pretty pale imitation,” he said, trying to convince himself. “Thinking you know what a sword deserves, what makes a swordsman. You’re too weak to decide that.”

“I know that!” she snapped. “Why do you care anyway? Just kill me like you did those children. Don’t tell me you draw the line at women.” Disdain dripped from her voice.

He sighed in irritation. He could at least respect expecting to die when you lose. And when she talked, it was easier to believe she wasn’t Kuina. 

“Whether you’re a woman or not doesn’t matter to me. I don’t kill just to kill. Neither does Robin. I’m not killing you for the same reason I’m not killing these other Marines: You aren’t strong enough to _make_ me kill you.”

Zoro waited just long enough for that to sink in, for her eyes to widen in outrage. Then he struck her again, over the head this time. She crumpled to the ground.


	47. Straw Hats Interlude 4: Arlong Park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy's gets his cook. 
> 
> Yosaku gets some bad news. 
> 
> Nami gets a visit from the Law of Unintended Consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm lumping the Baratie Arc into the Arlong arc since, other than Zoro trying to throw down with Mihawk, it never interested me much.
> 
> I mean, Zoro (and to an extent, Luffy) catching Mihawk's interest is the only reason any of Krieg's guys survived in the first place.

Sanji sat on the deck of the little ship they’d borrowed from the Shitty Geezer, enjoying a cigarette while watching the rubber idiot and bounty hunting idiot devour his cooking. At least he didn’t have to worry about either of them wasting food.

He couldn’t believe he was actually going in search of the All Blue, let alone with a Captain younger than him. A Captain who didn’t seem like he could keep more than one thought in his head at a time (and that thought was usually “Meat!”)

He wouldn’t deny Luffy impressed him, though. And he saved the Baratie, which counted for a lot. Even with his fleet smashed and crew mostly dead, Don Krieg would have been a handful for the cooks. Then Hawkeye Mihawk, World’s Greatest Swordsman, turned up. Looking to finish the job he started on Krieg’s bunch. Just for the hell of it, if the swordsman was to be believed.

Kreig and his men either hadn’t yet figured out how outclassed they were, or thought they had nothing to lose going down fighting. They opened fire, and Mihawk avoided or deflected every attack with that boat oar of a sword. Krieg died first, the armor he was so proud of split open from one swing of Mihawk’s sword. Krieg’s body followed suit one second later. As the remains of their ship sank, Krieg’s men tried scrambling onto the Baratie, but Mihawk didn’t seem to care where they went.

* * *

_“We gotta stop him,” Sanji snarled, as each slash of Mihawk’s blade came closer and closer to the floating restaurant._

_“And whatta you expect us to do against that, Sanji?” Carne snapped, gesturing. His sunglasses fell off when his eyes bugged out at the first of Mihawk’s enormously destructive attacks. He looked dumber than usual without them, Sanji thought._

_“There’s nothin’ any of us can do,” Zeff said calmly. “Mihawk’s on another level entirely from anyone here. If he wants to destroy the Baratie, that’s what he’ll do. But only if he chooses. It won’t be by accident. So don’t piss him off, you stupid eggplant.”_

_Sanji wanted to ignore the old bastard and just throw himself at the Warlord anyway. How could he be so sure, with the attacks Mihawk was unleashing? Sanji couldn’t let this place be destroyed. The chore boy beat him to it, throwing a punch from 50 feet away._

_**“Gum-Gum Pistol!”** _

_The arm just kept stretching, Mihawk side-stepped without even turning to look. Undeterred, Luffy grabbed the wreckage behind Mihawk, pulling himself forward._

_**“Gum-Gum Scythe!”** _

_The attempted clothesline didn’t work any better. Luffy just wrecked the remains of Krieg’s ship a little more. He didn’t let it phase him as he burst free a moment later._

_“Leave the old grandpa’s ship alone!” Luffy demanded. “Or I’ll kick your ass! It’s his dream!”_

_“You would challenge me for that?” Mihawk drawled, sounding a little surprised, but not in the least intimidated._

_“You bet! I’m not scared of you! I’m going to be King of the Pirates!”_

_Sanji gawked as Mihawk actually seemed to give this some thought, then placed his black blade on his back. He grinned. “Yes, I can see how challenging me would seem a trifle compared to such a dream.” He paused to survey the carnage._

_“I think I’ve had all the entertainment I will get here. Good day.”_

_He boarded his ridiculous ship – really, a one-person boat shaped like a coffin? What the shit? – and left without another word._

_Luffy turned back to the cooks and what was left of Krieg’s crew with a huge grin. “Pretty good, right?”_

_Sanji kicked him solidly over the head. “What the shit were you doing, you idiot?! Do you ever think?!”_

_Luffy rubbed his head absently. “Not really. It hurts.”_

_“Eyes front, you two,” Zeff growled. “Those dregs aren’t done yet.”_

_With a lack of any other ship, what was left of Krieg’s crew were advancing on the floating restaurant._

_“Pssh,” Sanji scoffed, taking another drag on a cigarette, “small fry like that are barely good as an appetizer.”_

* * *

Ridiculous as all that was, Sanji still, finally, agreed to join Luffy’s crew, and be his cook. But before they could head for the Grand Line, could search for the All Blue and One Piece, they had to retrieve Luffy’s chosen navigator. 

Not that Sanji was complaining. Miss Nami was a gorgeous woman. A divine angel. A shining ray of brilliance. And most importantly, the only other member of the tiny crew with any common sense, based on what Sanji had seen of Luffy and the long-nosed sniper. (The bounty hunters didn’t seem any smarter, but also insisted they weren’t part of the crew.) Sanji was only too happy for the chance to see her again and convince her to come with them.

Besides, she’d stolen their ship. They couldn’t go to the Grand Line in this little craft they had now, he knew that much.

Sanji was drawn from pleasant dreams of Nami complimenting him on his food by a burst of coughing. The bounty hunter was struggling for air, pounding on his chest with one hand, while the other held a newspaper. Luffy reached over and smacked Yosaku firmly on the back, a mass of rice and chicken splattering on deck.

Sanji felt his eyebrow twitch in annoyance. “Don’t waste food, you damn – “

Yosaku didn’t notice, still staring at the paper. “This can’t be true!” He turned to Sanji. “Is this some kind of gag paper?”

Sanji halted, face twisted in confusion. He took the paper and looked it over, noticing the front-page headline. “No, it’s a couple of weeks old, but it’s the real thing. What, were you stranded in the middle of the ocean or something?”

Luffy nodded. “He and johnny were sitting on this little rock, until Usopp blew it up.”

“So, what, you want to go after these two for their bounties?” From what he’d seen of these two bounty hunters, their strength wasn’t anywhere near up to par for that. 

It did tear at Sanji’s heart, to see such a gorgeous woman with a price on her head. If only he could have met her, and led her away from a path of crime with the blinding intensity of a true knight’s love.

Yosaku’s face darkened in anger, and he leapt to his feet. “It’s a lie! Brother Zoro and Sister Raserei would never do such a thing!”

OK, Sanji was confused again. “Raserei? You mean Nico Robin? It sounds like she’s done worse than just killing orphans, and that Pirate Hunter is supposed to be an inhuman mons – “

Yosaku surged forward, slamming him against the cabin. “Shut your mouth!! I said, Brother Zoro and Sister Raserei would never do something so despicable!”

Years of fighting with surly cooks and shitty geezers had trained Sanji to react to people grabbing him by the lapels of his jacket. One leg rose straight up, then crashed into Yosaku’s face, driving him into the deck.

Though battered, the bounty hunter was undeterred. Through tears he shouted, “They’re honest and true people who fight valiantly to protect the weak, just like Johnny and I!”

“You don’t even get her name right, and it says right there in the paper, you shitty – “

“Sanji. Let him up.”

Up to then, Luffy had remained silent, seemingly content to seize the opportunity to eat the rest of the food. He still wasn’t looking their way, staring at the sea with a contemplative look on his face, but the tone of authority in his voice was unmistakable.

Sanji raised his foot, and Yosaku struggled to a seated position. He clutched the paper again, shaking his head. “It can’t be true, there must be a mistake. . .”

“You and Johnny were friends with them?”

“Yes, we were a team for several months. The Four Swords of Justice! Sister Raserei never failed to find a bounty, and Brother Zoro was unbeatable in battle, but they never harmed the innocent.”

Sanji lit a cigarette to cover his annoyance. “Then why would the paper say that?”

“I don’t know!”

“It doesn’t matter, does it?” Luffy said nonchalantly. “People will believe all kinds of dumb stuff about people they don’t know. They don’t know them like Yosaku did, right?”

The bounty hunter nodded, jaw set in a resolute line. Luffy turned his face towards Sanji, huge grin splitting his face.

“See? And they sound really cool!”

* * *

Nami knew something was wrong the moment she entered Arlong Park. The Fishmen stronghold was never silent. There were always at least a few pirates there, and they were either partying (loudly) or sleeping off their last party, and therefore snoring (loudly.)

Today, though, it was quiet. Unsettlingly so, that eerie calm the sea has just before a storm unleashes its fury. Nami quashed any fear or dread, straightened her back, and placed the familiar cold mask on her face as she walked in like she owned the place.

Arlong sat on his massive throne, where he could look out at the sea he expected to rule someday. Nami could tell his hackles were up instantly. He sat rigid, body thrumming with barely contained tension, nails tapping an impatient, erratic beat on the armrest. His eyes flicked to her the moment she entered, but he didn’t call out in his usual false friendly manner, or rise from his seat.

“Arlong, you don’t look like you’re having a good day,” she asked cautiously. “Bad news from your lapdog Marine? Can’t make it to accept his usual bribe?”

It was the wrong thing to say. Nami could tell the way Arlong’s eyes widened just a bit, veins standing out against the white of his eyes. That was the look he got when he was about to lose all control. 

“Careful Arlong, you don’t want to destroy the park.”

For the first time, Nami noticed the rest of the crew standing off to one side. Kuroobi and Chew were the closest, the rank-and-file hovering behind them. All watching their boss warily. Nami couldn’t tell if they were preparing to tackle him if he went berserk, or dive in the ocean and swim for their lives.

“It’s funny you mention Captain Nezumi, Nami,” Arlong said in a tense, dangerously calm tone. “As a matter of fact, he won’t be stopping by any time soon.”

* * *

_Nezumi was three days late. Normally Arlong wouldn’t care. He hated dealing with the conniving and cowardly human. But Nezumi ensured the Marines usually left Arlong alone. Which meant Arlong didn’t have to kill Marines. Which kept him from attracting the attention of any higher-ranking, more powerful Marines. Arlong was well aware that, for all his bluster, Admirals and Vice-Admirals were far beyond him in power._

_And Nezumi was never late for his regular bribe. His greed ensured his punctuality, as well as his compliance. Nezumi wouldn’t get a more lucrative deal from anyone else. Besides, they were supposed to finalize plans to keep Nami in his grasp for the foreseeable future. That would, after all, enrich Arlong, enabling him to keep paying Nezumi. It was in everyone’s best interest._

_Arlong might normally let it go, but after the whole mess with the two bounty hunters showing up and humiliating a half-dozen of his men, after Hachi and Momoo, there was uncertainty in the air. Word spread fast. The humans in the villages still acted cowed, but Arlong was sure he saw an air of hope and defiance in the glares from those inferiors._

_So Nezumi’s absence was a worrying abnormality, and Arlong needed answers. One of his men returned with the transponder snail, and Arlong dialed a number a pirate had no business having. After several rings, an unfamiliar voice answered._

_“Hello?”_

_“Who is this? Let me speak to Nezumi.” Arlong tried to keep from snarling until he knew who he was dealing with._

_“This is Acting Commander Cheng. Former Captain Nezumi is not available.”_

_“What do you mean not available? What do you mean, former Captain?” Had Nezumi somehow bought himself a promotion? Was he going to turn on Arlong? Were the bounty hunters just a feint, or a test?_

_“Former Captain Nezumi was arrested by Vice-Admiral Garp on charges of fomenting a revolt on Papillion Island. May I ask who this is and why you have this number?”_

_Arlong disconnected the call and hurled the snail into the sea. He’d heard a little about that failed revolt, but hadn’t realized his pet Marine was involved. The papers conveniently left that out. Surprise, surprise. He should have figured Nezumi had more than one scam running, the idiot._

_The rumors suggested a certain pair of bounty hunters were involved there. A pair that just happened to show up here, causing Arlong more problems._

* * *

“Oh?” Nami responded nonchalantly. “Can’t say I’m sorry to see Nezumi go. You know he was never trustworthy, right? If he’d accept money to protect you, he’d definitely turn on you for a bigger payday.”

Arlong rose from his chair in slow, measured movements. “You’re right, Nami. People who will do anything for money are not trustworthy.”

Nami huffed in feigned annoyance, even as her pulse raced. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“As you can see, the bounty hunters you hired didn’t quite finish the job. Nezumi may be gone, and Hachi may have proven himself worthless, but I still rule these islands!”

“What?” Nami had no idea what he was talking about. Arlong continued as if she hadn’t spoken.

“In fact, they never even challenged me. Killed a few of my men from ambush, then fled back to the sea. Right, Chew?”

The fishman sported several bandages around his throat and lips, voice strained. “Absolutely correct, Arlong.”

(Nami had reflected more than once that with those lips, it was no surprise Chew was such a kiss-ass.)

Arlong nodded wisely, eyes boring into the thief. “I hope you didn’t pay them too much. Or maybe you made promises, then stiffed them on the money, and that’s why they left.”

“I didn’t hire anyone to try and kill you. Why would I? I almost have the money we agreed on to buy Cocoyashi Village.”

Arlong stalked closer, stopping right in front of Nami. Towering above her, a miniature version of how his headquarters loomed over the island. But his voice regained some of that patronizing warmth it usually carried. 

“You’re always so devious, Nami. I’d find it endearing, like your attempts to blow me up or poison me. But this time, your actions cost me several of my men. I can’t let that pass.”

“I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The warmth vanished, and the barely contained rage resurfaced. “I don’t believe Roronoa Zoro and Nico Robin just showed up here by chance! Not when they should be trying to escape the East Blue and the Marines as fast as possible! Someone brought them here, so it was either you, or those villagers. Chew saw two of them speaking with the bounty hunters!”

* * *

_“I’m telling you Arlong, that human with all the scars and Nami’s sister were talking to them about overthrowing you.” Chew argued forcefully as he was bandaged. “We can’t let them get away with it!”_

_“It wasn’t like that though, Arlong!” Hachi argued from where he was seated, also being treated. “The bounty hunters offered to overthrow you, and the humans told them to leave.”_

_“Why are you defending them, after they attacked you?” Kuroobi asked._

_“The people on the island didn’t attack me. The guy with the swords asked to duel with me. I said yes, and he beat me. I didn’t expect that!” The octopus chuckled bashfully._

_“I heard Nami’s sister ask the bounty hunters to stay put and attack if we don’t let Nami go,” Chew rebutted. “They’re plotting!”_

_“How could you hear any of that? You were unconscious after Nico Robin beat you!” Hachi shouted, then paused, scratching his head. “Or was I unconscious? No, it was definitely you!”_

_“So Hachi, you sat there and let them kill your brothers?” Arlong snarled. “After losing to a single human?!”_

_“Um, I was really beaten up?”_

_Arlong’s glare was withering. Hachi wanted to crawl into his pot and hide for a hundred years. Fortunately for Hachi, Arlong turned his fury on Momoo, cowering in the inlet._

_“And what were you doing letting them land here in the first place? You’re supposed to keep unwelcome visitors away! Between them and those other Marines we had to sink, I’m starting to wonder about you and Hachi both!”_

_The sea cow and octopus shrank under the harsh barrage. A few of the others considered coming to their defense, but the look on their leader’s face dissuaded them. Arlong’s rage was at that stage where any sudden movement might get you killed._

_It had already claimed the lives of the members of their crew Nico Robin only injured._

* * *

“So Nami, who was it that brought the bounty hunters here? You, or those worthless villagers? One of you will have to accept the blame.”

Nami heard the words, and what was beneath them. If she let her sister and the others take the blame, Arlong would destroy the village like he did Gosa. For something like this, he’d probably kill them.

“I understand if you’re having regrets now that it failed, and want to pin it on those fools. They’ve been so cruel to you these last eight years. All because you were smart enough to understand your worth. If you tell me it was them, I’ll believe you.”

“It was me,” Nami said firmly. “I hadn’t tried to kill you in a while, and thought I might catch you off-guard. Guess I should have hired better assassins.”

Arlong smiled, and Nami felt ill. “Don’t you feel better telling the truth? I’m sure we all do. Of course, there has to be a punishment, for the lives of the crewmates who died from your treachery. Say, another 50 million Beris each added to our deal.”

Nami stared. “300 million more?! You said 100 million would buy the village!”

Arlong nodded thoughtfully. “I did, but like I said, there have to be consequences.” He laughed. “Don’t look so sad. Because you’ve taken responsibility, the village will still be there when you get the money. And you still have all of us!”

Arlong laughed louder. This time his men joined in, a note of relief in theirs. Nami wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to grab any handy weapon and jam it in Arlong’s throat. 

But none of that would help. None of it would free her sister, or Genzo, or the others. Or herself. She would never be free of this. Foolish to think otherwise. He was always going to find a way to go back on his word. She stuffed it down deep, the place she always did. 

(That place was getting dangerously full.)

“I guess I better go plan my next trip,” she said with false cheer. “I have a lot of money to steal!”

She walked out, head held high as it was when she entered. Arlong called after her, taunting. “That’s the spirit, Nami! That’s why you’re such an important member of our crew!”

Only once she was out of sight of Arlong Park, did she allow herself to cry. At what she’d lost, at letting herself believe she’d ever be free, that she could trust a pirate. Cry that the one pirate who _had_ been trustworthy, she betrayed. 

Her tears were interrupted by a soft, uncertain voice calling her name. She looked up to see Usopp crouching next to her, watching with worried eyes. Johnny stood behind him, scanning their surroundings nervously.

She could barely find the energy to ask, “What are you doing here?”

* * *

Usopp startled, not sure how to respond, even knowing it was the question Nami was most likely to ask. Johnny answered instead.

“Brother Luffy asked us to come after you.”

“Why? Because I stole Merry?” she responded bitterly. “It’s docked at a village near here. You should take it and go.”

“We know,” Usopp said. “We found it. But Luffy sent us for you. You’re his navigator Nami, he won’t have anyone else.”

“Well that’s too fucking bad, Usopp,” she snarled. “Because I’m Arlong’s surveyor, and have been for years. Luffy needs to learn you can’t always get your way.”

Usopp tilted his head as he continued to watch her. “What were you getting the money for? To buy the village where you docked Merry? What for?”

“None of your business. Take your ship and do like her name says. Go. If Arlong or his men find you here, you’ll die.”

“Ha, as if the Great Captain Usopp is frightened by a single Fishman, plus 20 or so other Fishmen!” The bravado ruined by the fact his knees shook so badly his legs went out from under him.

“Just go Usopp. If you stay and fight, Arlong will take it out on everyone else after he’s done killing you and using your skin to make a flag. Or he’ll raise the amount of money I need again.”

Nami rose and kept walking the direction she’d been going, leaving Usopp and Johnny behind without another word.

* * *

Usopp and Johnny followed. They tried walking beside her, but she leveled a fierce glare at them. They stayed back a healthy distance after that. She was headed for the village where she left Merry. The sniper briefly entertained the notion she would leave the island, on Merry, with them, but dismissed it. She told Usopp to go, but hadn’t said anything about coming with him.

Usopp didn’t know what to do. He didn’t understand what was happening here, other than this Arlong and his men had the island under their thumb, and the people were just kind of living with it. Because they didn’t think they could win a battle. Usopp didn’t really want to fight a bunch of Fishmen, either. Not that he couldn’t, of course! He had once defeated five Sea Kings with just a spork! But it would be dangerous for Johnny, you see, who might get caught in the middle.

OK, Usopp _did_ know what he needed to do. He needed to get Nami to come with him and leave this island. Take Merry and get them all someplace safe. Like his home, for example. But Nami was a non-negotiable part of the deal. He hadn’t known Luffy long, but long enough to know the Captain wouldn’t accept leaving Nami behind.

Sure, if Usopp was being honest, his main concern when Nami left had been recovering Merry. The ship was everyone’s, the entire crew's. Nami had no right to steal it. And it was a gift from Kaya. A piece of home for Usopp, a reminder of the moment he’d stopped just talking about being a brave warrior, and actually tried to be one. 

But Usopp didn’t want to leave Nami behind. Luffy was going to get that gender-discriminating waiter with the eyebrow to join his crew, but without Nami, that left them at three people. Usopp was pretty sure the cook was really strong, too. Not perhaps a monster like Luffy, but not someone ordinary ( _weak_ ) like Usopp.

Nami was more like him. Someone who understood the need for caution, to not just rush headlong into every situation. You can get hurt that way. Captain Usopp was no stranger to pain, naturally. He once sowed one of his arms back on with his other arm in the middle of a hailstorm. Also, he got a nasty splinter once trying to fix the chair in his kitchen.

Nami got that, and that made her sensible, someone Usopp could commiserate with when Luffy started doing crazy things like inflating himself to deflect cannonballs. But he didn’t know what to do to get her to come with him.

He spied the village, Cocoyaya or something like that, up ahead. It looked like most of the town was waiting in the middle of the street. The lady with blue hair, Nami’s sister, said something. Usopp couldn’t hear Nami’s response, but he could read the townspeople’s faces easily enough. They were angry, hefting all sorts of weapons. Usopp rushed forward, worried they were about to attack Nami. Instead they walked past her, ignoring her outstretched arms like water flowing around a rock.

“Everybody stop! I can get the money, just give me a little more time!” Usopp hadn’t ever heard Nami sound that desperate.

“It’s OK, Nami,” the guy with the pinwheel said gently. “You did your part. It’s time for the rest of us to do ours.” He paused in front of Usopp and Johnny. “Ger her away from here. Take care of her.”

* * *

Nami watched her friends go, was left staring at the ground as she collapsed. They’d known all along what she was doing, let her think she had them fooled. She let them down, and now they were heading off to die. Even if those two bounty hunters killed a few of Arlong’s men, the shark was enough on his own to crush all of them.

The hand she’d been dealt was always terrible, but Nami tried her best to win with it. To play a role, to trick and cheat and nudge the rules enough to win. But there was never a chance she could win. The game was rigged from the start.

She drew her dagger and stabbed the mark on her shoulder. The pain barely registered. Arlong’s mark. The tattoo she’d worn for eight years of pretending and stealing and lying. She’d be wearing it forever now, wouldn’t she? She couldn’t bear the idea, and stabbed it again.

“Oi, oi!” “Stop, Sister Nami!” 

Usopp and Johnny. “What are you two still doing here?”

The sniper looked uncertain, scratching his cheek. “We’re here for you. To help? Somehow? We’re nakama, right? That’s what we do for each other. Like how you protected Kaya.”

Nami never had a chance to win the game, but she hadn’t seen another option. Luffy never worried about things like that, though. He seemed content to upend the board whenever it pleased him, play by his own rules, no matter how insane they might seem.

Maybe Nami needed to take a chance. If it failed, at least she’d fall with her friends. She rose to her feet, suddenly calm.

“I’m going to help them fight Arlong. You don’t have to come.”

“Don’t be absurd! The Great Captain Usopp lives for battles such as this!” His knees clattered together, incredibly loud in the empty town.

“That’s right!” Johnny agreed. “Yosaku and I are dedicated to serving justice and protecting the weak! I can’t turn away, even if I lose by a hair!”

Without another word, the three of them ran in the direction of Arlong Park.

* * *

The fight wasn’t going well. Nami warned them Fishmen were incredibly strong, and to not hold back at all. Usopp hadn’t realized just what that meant until they reached Arlong’s stronghold. The villagers were already fighting, or more accurately, being crushed. Three of the Fishmen – Arlong himself, and two others Nami identified as Kuroobi and Chew – weren’t even involved, but the remainder were winning easily.

Usopp scrambled up the wall, wanting a good vantage point, and fired into the crowd.

 **“Pepper Star!”** He aimed high, since the Fishmen were much taller. The pirates began to cough and sneeze, faltering in their attacks. Nami and Johnny, wearing some handkerchiefs Usopp gave them ahead of time, rushed in to use the opportunity. The few villagers still standing tried to do likewise, although they were coughing and sneezing, too.

The Pepper Star might need some work for use in scrums. Still Fishmen began to fall, from cuts or stab wounds. Things were looking up, until someone sprayed the entire group with water. Usopp saw the one called Chew wince and clutch at his mouth gingerly. 

The Fishmen staggered, but kept their footing as the irritant was washed away. All the humans still standing went flying. Johnny reached his feet, but one of the Fishmen had the drop on him.

 **“Exploding Star!”** The Fishman collapsed with a groan. “That’s right! All of you had better flee before the Great Captain Usopp gets really serious!”

Arlong didn’t move, but his eyes flicked to the flat-topped ray to his right. “Kuroobi, take care of the sniper.” Usopp didn’t like the sound of that. 

He liked the reality even less. Kuroobi charged and kicked the wall Usopp stood on. It exploded beneath under his feet, hurling him into the air.

Usopp may have screamed – it was a manly roar though, really! – as he saw the martial artist readying an attack. Usopp tried another Exploding Star, but Kuroobi simply blocked it with a fin protruding from one arm. Johnny leapt in from behind, but the ray spun and kicked him through the new gap in the wall. Johnny bounced across the dirt a couple of times before rolling to a stop.

Usopp landed on a beach umbrella of all things, narrowly avoiding being impaled. At least it slowed him enough he didn’t break every bone when he fell through it onto the massive wood table beneath. It just felt like he did.

Arlong turned his attention back to Nami, the only human still standing. “Just what is all this Nami?”

“I’m done with you Arlong. I’m going to kill you for what you’ve done.”

“Kill me? Haven’t you gotten tired of trying that yet? And what’ve I done? These worthless humans attacked me! We were simply defending ourselves.”

He grinned, showing all those razor-sharp teeth. Usopp wished to be reincarnated as a turtle, but like, right now, while he was still alive and could use the protection. 

“Maybe you need a reminder of how good you have it. Kuroobi, show her what happens to the people who stand against us, rather than with us. Start with the leader there.”

The ray nodded and moved towards Genzo. Nami lunged, swinging her staff. It shattered across Kuroobi’s arm. Undeterred, Nami stabbed the jagged end at his throat. The ray caught it and wrenched it from her grasp, throwing it into the sea. Out of options, Nami moved into his path, barring his way, gambling he wouldn’t hurt her. Kuroobi stopped and looked at her consideringly.

“Arlong, does she need her legs to draw your maps?”

Arlong sighed. “Yes, Kuroobi, she needs to be able to walk. Just throw her aside for now. Not too far.”

As he reached for her, there were two simultaneous shouts.

**“Gum-Gum Bazooka!”**

**“Mutton Shot!”**

A red-vested missile slammed both hands into Arlong’s chest, sending him and his throne flying back into the building. An immaculately shined black shoe fell on Kuroobi’s skull like a hammer of the gods. He groaned and staggered to one side.

“Keep your damn hands off that lady, you shitty ray.”

“Nami! Usopp!” Luffy shouted excitedly. “You can’t start fights without me!” Chew snapped out of his stupor at seeing his boss take a hit like that, and tried to fire a water ball at Luffy. An Exploding Star cut him short. Yosaku rushed up, helping his partner to his feet. Both of them readied their swords.

“Luffy, where the hell have you been?!” the sniper screamed. Any answer Luffy might have offered was cut off as Arlong stepped out of the hole in his headquarters, glaring fiercely.

“What do you think you’re doing, human?”

Luffy was indifferent to the murderous rage coming off Arlong. “I’m here for Nami. She’s my navigator.” He turned to her. “Nami, are you ready to go?”

“I want to Luffy,” she replied, “but I need to deal with Arlong first.”

“OK! We can help!”

She smiled. “I’d appreciate that.”

Arlong laughed. It was an ugly, mocking sound. “You think these weaklings are going to help you? All they’re going to do is provide more examples for you. You’re my key to ruling these seas, Nami! I’m never letting you leave!”

A punch struck him in the chest, driving him back a few feet. Luffy scowled. “Don’t talk like that about my nakama.”

Arlong rubbed his chest absently. “Kuroobi, the rest of you, kill these other humans. I’m going to teach this one a lesson in his inferiority.”

Luffy lifted the brim of his hat as he scratched his head. “I don’t know what that word means. Gum-Gum – “

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fight goes a little smoother because Luffy doesn't try that ridiculous pinwheel move, so he doesn't get thrown into the sea, and Sanji doesn't end up trying to fight Kuroobi underwater.
> 
> FYI, Johnny and Yosaku are stronger than they were in canon. It's mostly leftover from when they were traveling with Robin and Zoro, because Robin was so good at finding targets they got a lot more experience fighting, but they haven't lost anything since they parted ways.


	48. Best of a Bad Set of Options

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Zoro are away from Loguetown, but they're a long way from safe. There's danger ahead and danger behind, and to escape, they're going to have to be a little daring, and a little lucky.

Robin stood at _Pipit's_ helm, Loguetown out of sight behind them. There were several things she knew should be occupying her mind at the moment. The trip up the narrow, rocky channel of Reverse Mountain. Avoiding the massive island whale at the other end. Whether the Marines Zoro defeated regained consciousness yet. If so, how far behind they were. 

If none of those dangers were enough, she should have excited to journey to Alabasta. The answers she sought might be within reach! It was her best lead in over a decade, but it hardly registered. Her attention kept returning to the swordsman seated on the deck below.

Zoro remained quiet while they escaped, helping efficiently, but without comment, mind elsewhere. Once they were safely underway, he took a seat, legs crossed, eyes closed. The white katana, his friend’s weapon, held out before him, head bowed.

Robin wanted to help, the way Zoro helped her when she felt overwhelmed. Similar to her, Zoro was a private person. He did not offer much of his past, nor did he turn to others for comfort or support. Whether that was because he was unused to having someone to turn to, or simply his own reluctance, she couldn’t say. Robin was hardly a shining example of being open with others. 

She checked their course and the seas ahead and behind. No pursuit visible – yet – and neither was the Red Line. Leaving a hand to maintain control, she made her way aft. As she approached, her nerve failed. 

How to approach him? Trying to push wouldn’t work any better than it did on her, if for different reasons. Where Robin tended to withdraw or deflect, Zoro pushed back aggressively, using what she was doing as a distraction from what really bothered him.

“It’s OK, Robin.” He spoke without raising his head. “I’m OK.” 

His voice was weary. She frowned. He kept saying that. Like he wanted to convince himself.

“She doesn’t move like Kuina did,” he continued. “Not as smooth, not as sure.” He hesitated. “She’s fighting herself, inside.” 

Zoro knew Kuina had been fighting against herself, too. Against a part of her that believed what Koshiro told her. Because he was her sensei, her _father_ , so he would know. Zoro would bet the Copycat was actually the same that way. Fighting the part of herself that accepted what people told her about being a swordswoman. Maybe Kuina hid it better, or maybe Copycat heard it a lot longer, and from more people.

Robin stepped carefully around Zoro, kneeling in front of him. Close, but not touching. It wasn’t as simple as he made it sound. She had observed the fight, just in case. In their time together, she had seen Zoro scalded, shot, cut, starved, and punched with rib-shattering force. He’d taken those wounds without complaint or hesitation, always ready to seize an opening. 

When that Marine said he didn’t deserve to carry Kuina’s sword, spat those words at him in hatred with the face of his friend, Zoro flinched. Robin saw it, and in that moment, felt the urge to break the woman into a hundred pieces. For daring to suggest Zoro dishonored that sword, his promise, his dream. Leave Tashigi’s body a devastated ruin of shattered bones and torn ligaments. Fortunate if she could ever raise a _spoon_ again, let alone a sword.

Robin hadn’t, because it wouldn't do Zoro any good to see the mirror image of his friend mutilated before him, but once he reached the ship, she’d been sorely tempted.

She pushed thoughts of vengeance against one who hurt her friend aside. “Zoro, it’s alright if you aren’t fine, if you need time to sort your thoughts. I’m sorry for pushing you back in town.”

He shook his head slowly. “You were right. We needed to go. It was close as it was.” 

He paused, debating whether to share. The words were there, lodged in his throat. Caught between letting the pain out, and hiding it again. The moment balanced on a blade’s edge. Robin didn’t know what to do to encourage him, so she waited. Hoping he would trust her with this.

“After every loss, Kuina would tell me I was weak. Until our last duel. Even then, when she said I’d surpass her someday, it was because her being a girl meant she’d become weak. Not that I’d win because I worked harder, became better. She. . . died the next day. I never got the chance to prove I could beat her on my own. That I was fit to carry the dream for us both. But there’s no one else.”

He took a deep breath, eyes still focused on the sheathed sword resting on his lap. “The Copycat meant it a different way, but when she said I didn’t deserve to carry Kuina’s sword, coming from her face. . .”

Robin reached out one hand tentatively. Not making contact, but offering it. For a long moment, Zoro didn’t react. Then he hesitantly rested his hand in hers, fingers intertwining. Robin squeezed gently as she sought the right words.

“Zoro, did Kuina tell her father what effect his words had on her?”

“She argued with him, but as far he knew, she wasn’t listening.” Zoro lifted his gaze to meet hers for the first time since they left the island. He remembered, not long after Kuina’s funeral, when he’d screamed accusations at his Sensei over what the man said. Zoro bore his own responsibility, for the duel that made her need a whetstone from the basement, but so did Koshiro.

“What about the other students? Would she tell them?”

Zoro snorted. “They were even further behind her than me. Resented her strength more, too. Neither of us sparred with them unless Sensei told us to.”

Robin nodded. He could see the gears turning, curious what she would say. “But she shared her fear with _you_. You were the one she felt understood. Understood what drove her, and could match her drive. If you didn’t, if you couldn’t, she would have treated you like all the other students, not worth her time.”

“I didn’t know Kuina, but if she called you weak, I believe it was because she knew it would push you, rather than discourage you. You, in turn, would push her. You were her rival, but also her friend. The one she could count on to keep her eyes focused on her goal. That being the case, I can’t imagine there is anyone she would rather have carry her dream on her behalf.”

Zoro sat silent, absorbing her words. Kuina’s taunts always pushed him forward. Every time he thought he’d caught up, she would beat him again, having increased her own skill and strength, maintaining her advantage.

He hoped Robin was right. He carried Kuina’s sword because he felt he owed it to her, and because she’d been his friend. He really hoped she was OK with that.

“Thanks, Robin,” he managed to croak out. His voice felt thick, and he ducked his head again, disgusted. He needed to get his act together. He couldn’t allow himself to lose control again. He felt Robin’s other arm curl around him, resting against his back. Encouraging him to lean on her.

Robin froze, not having planned this. She had simply buried her own pain too many times to wish to see him have to do so again. “There’s nothing wrong with feeling the loss of those dear to you,” she whispered.

Slowly, his head came to rest on her shoulder. If his shoulders shook, if Robin felt tears soak the shoulder of her dress, she didn’t comment. They stayed this way for what could have been a minute or an hour. When Zoro spoke, it was in a unusually soft tone.

“Is that how it is for you? You’re looking for the Poneglyph to carry out your friends’ dreams?”

“Yes. Like you, it’s something I wish to do anyway, but I’m also the last one left who can. My friends were taken away cruelly. I was the one lucky to survive. I try to find the truth for them, as they would if they could.”

“Have you been able to mourn? With being on the run all the time?”

Robin hesitated. She cried, in the early days certainly, over her loss. She wasn’t sure how much of that was for Professor Clover and the others, and how much was over the difficult hand she’d been dealt. She still felt the ache of their absence, for all she tried to push it away and focus on what lay ahead. She didn’t want to think about if they would be disappointed with her, even if it crept in with disturbing regularity when her defenses were down.

Zoro read her silence. He placed his free arm lightly on her back and returned her hug. “If you need to some time, you can. I’m here, if you want.”

“Thank you, Zoro.”

The two stayed that way a little longer, breaking apart by some unspoken understanding. They stood, and Zoro squinted at something ahead of them.

“Are we supposed to heading towards a mountain?”

Robin moved to the wheel, speaking without turning. “That’s the Red Line, and we’ll find Reverse Mountain there, the entrance to the Grand Line.”

“Are there usually so many ships waiting their turn?”

Robin whipped her head around, to see an entire line of Marine battleships strung across their path like a wall. They were connected by thick chains. She saw a puff of smoke at the hull of the center ship, and her hand spun the wheel hard port even as she was climbing to take control directly. The cannonball struck the water 50 yards away. More puffs of smoke appeared from all the ships.

* * *

Commodore Royale felt very pleased with himself. Let that upstart Smoker and the other fools rush about like bloodhounds chasing a scent. Nelson Royale didn’t achieve his level of fame wasting energy like that. Once he heard the report from Loguetown the Devil’s Child escaped, he knew what to do. There was only one way out of the East Blue, and his Crane's Wing formation was perfectly suited to close it shut. All he had to do was wait for Nico Robin and her partner to show up, trying to escape pursuit. Best of all, their puny vessel couldn’t do a thing to strike back at his ships.

At least, he was pretty sure Nico Robin couldn’t get him from this far away. Just to be sure, he was going to sink her before she got the chance. He also considered setting up command on one of the other ships, where no one would expect him to be, but couldn’t bear to leave the luxurious accommodations of his flagship.

* * *

“What now?” Zoro asked, swords drawn, watching the wall of ships in their path.

He shouldn’t be, but he was glad for the distraction. He believed Robin, that she didn’t think less of him for breaking down like that. Even so, he wanted to put it behind him. He felt raw inside, all exposed nerves sending warnings that jarred loose bad memories and doubts that threatened tears with every stray thought. Something else to focus on was perfect. One shot came close and he cut it in two easily.

The barrage was increasing though, even as Robin turned the wheel one way then the other, trying to remain unpredictable. She stopped steering for a moment, focusing on the nearest vessel, one to the left of the flagship. All through the belowdecks, arms bloomed around the Marines manning the cannons. While the guns fell silent, the sound of broken bones took their place. 

Swiftly, her arms re-positioned the cannons that were already loaded, and lit the fuses. Seconds later, the ships on either side were rocked as a broadside slammed into them. The splintering of woods and panicked screams of surprised Marines were just audible at a distance. None of the shots were low enough to let the sea in, so it wouldn’t sink either vessel. It would keep those crews busy making sure no fires reached the powder magazines.

(Unbeknownst to her, the violent explosions jolted Royale as he was in middle of trying to swallow half of a barbecued adult sow, and it became lodged in his throat. His personal retinue had scrambled belowdecks on his orders to save his possessions, and couldn’t hear the strangled cries for assistance. Not that anything short of a punch in the gut from Garp would have dislodged that load of pork from Royale’s windpipe.)

But diverting her concentration left _Pipit_ traveling a straight course for too long, and the other ships zeroed in. Zoro cut as many cannonballs as he could. One headed towards the mast, and he jumped, kicking at the air and staying up long enough to strike the cannonball aside and send it down into the sea, making sure the sails weren’t damaged. 

He landed back on the deck next to Robin. Noting her grim expression, he asked, “Can we slip between them?”

“The gaps aren’t wide enough to do it safely. We’ll have to retreat and try to sneak past under cover of darkness. They won’t be able to uncouple those chains swiftly enough to chase after us. Hopefully it’s cloudy tonight.”

As Robin looked over her shoulder, trying to select the best direction to flee, her hopes sank. 

The Marines of Loguetown had caught up.

* * *

Smoker’s eyes observed the scene before him impassively. Royale was a corrupt, generally useless Marine, between bragging about his alleged Noble heritage and making his men carry him everywhere, but for once, he was in a position where his lazy approach fit the situation. The two criminals were walled off from the Grand Line and too busy dodging cannonballs to set a course. It wouldn’t be long now. No pirate yet landed at Loguetown and escaped Smoker, he didn’t intend for that streak to be broken by these two.

He cast a sideways glance at his sergeant, where she was barking orders to the men, making certain they were at their positions and knew their duty. Tashigi seemed even more focused than usual when there was work to be done. Smoker suspected it had something to do with Roronoa being a swordsman. He knew she felt it best to take great swords away from pirates, and he was guessing the former Pirate Hunter had one.

Smoker didn’t care about that. He wanted swords out of pirates’ hands because they maimed and killed with them, whatever the quality of the weapon. “Tashigi, relax. I’ll be bringing in the two of them myself.”

His second-in-command whirled, ready to protest, but held back whatever she intended to say. “Yes, Captain Smoker.”

That was good. She already lost to Roronoa once, and survived, somehow. Along with the two squads of Marines with her. Didn’t really make much sense when, you thought about it. Smoker had been searching the harbor while Tashigi checked the marketplace. If Roronoa killed her and the others, it would have given he and Nico a lot more time to get away before Smoker knew what happened.

But Smoker didn’t really understand why Roronoa and Nico Robin had been content to play bounty hunters together the last two years, only to suddenly wipe out an orphanage. An orphanage whose location or existence Smoker couldn’t confirm.

As if to make a mockery of his doubts about their criminal actions, arms suddenly appeared on his body and tried to break his neck. Smoker let himself disperse and the arms fell away. It didn’t help the rest of his crew, who cried out as their backs and limbs were bent in various unnatural directions. Snarling, he lunged, stabbing his jitte into the nearest available arm. All of them vanished in a burst of petals.

He surveyed the carnage. None of his crew were going to be much help in the near future, but again, none of them were dead. Curious. Well, once he’d captured them, Smoker would make sure to get some answers before Aokiji showed up, if the Admiral ever did. Just a little closer and he’d be able to fly over there and snatch them both up. His forehead crinkled as the ship abruptly stopped weaving and began on a straight course away from both him and Royale’s vessels.

 _'Why the hell are they headed south?'_ It was a certain death sentence. Unless they had associates waiting for them. Nico Robin had to be clever to elude capture for twenty years. She must have some kind of scheme in mind.

* * *

Robin hadn’t expected to be able to kill Smoker, but figured it was worth trying to catch him off-guard. That seastone weapon was unpleasant, but at least his crew was taken care of. By the time she regained herself, Zoro was at the helm and turning them. . .

“Zoro, this is a terrible idea!”

“What are you talking about? There’s no Marines in that direction!”

“Because the Calm Belt is in that direction! There are no currents or winds, we won’t be able to move!”

“We have oars,” he responded firmly. “Just get us that far, and I’ll get us through. Unless you have a better plan on how we’re going to escape the Marine you said neither of us can beat when the only other way out is blocked.”

That said, Zoro left the helm to her and grabbed the oars, ready to do exactly what he said. Robin wracked her mind for a better plan. The Marine ships blockading Reverse Mountain probably wouldn’t attack if Smoker’s ship was in the way. They could try drawing it in, then heading directly for Reverse Mountain. Maybe they could get close enough to board and overwhelm the Marine vessels without being blown up. 

But that left them in danger from Smoker, and he was a greater threat. The original plan to run and try to return at night was shot because they weren’t likely to lose Smoker easily, if at all. And some Marine vessels were built to cross the Calm Belt. Seastone coating the underside, paddlewheel systems to propel them. But with Robin incapacitating most of his crew, he might not be able to control the entire ship himself.

Looking ahead, she could see the telltale signs of the currents dying, the sea becoming ominously still. Behind, Smoker’s ship was still chasing, but falling behind. It appeared the White Hunter was going to pursue them directly, if the plume rising from the deck was anything to go by. Perhaps she was correct that it took more than a crew of one to steer that vessel. Or perhaps he was just angry she attacked them.

 **“108 Pound Cannon!”** Zoro saw the Marine headed their way, too. He knew Robin said they couldn’t harm the guy, but Zoro wasn’t going down without a fight. Besides, if the guy was made of smoke, maybe Zoro could scatter him with a strong wind.

Unfortunately, the Marine weaved around the attack easily. Zoro raised his blades, readying another. Unleashing a Dragon Twister on the deck wouldn’t be great for their ship, but maybe it would work better. If Smoker was that close, it’d be harder for him to dodge at least. Or he could try meeting him in the air. He’d been able to use that skywalking trick earlier. Zoro probably wouldn’t make it back to the ship if he did that, but it would give Robin time. She was the one the Marines were really after.

“Zoro, the oars. We need to build up as much momentum as we can.” He looked back to see Robin watching him closely. He wondered if she knew what he’d been thinking. Well, this had been his idea, so it was up to him to make it work. He grabbed the oars and began rowing furiously.

* * *

Smoker couldn’t believe Roronoa was trying to row their damn ship through the Calm Belt. There had to be more to their plan than this, didn’t there? They’d gotten out of range of Royale’s fleet, so he was useless, and now they’d separated Smoker from his ship. He could float for a good while, but only actively propel himself for so long. He’d better make this quick.

He increased his speed, trying to reach their ship before either could react. Given the chance Roronoa might try sinking it and leaving Smoker stranded in mid-air, while keeping Nico afloat with himself. Before he could catch up, he heard something coming through the waves towards him.

To everyone’s surprise, a giant sea cow tried plowing into Smoker. He, of course, let it pass through him harmlessly, although the sea spray kicked onto him by its passing stung. Some of his limbs didn’t totally disperse. He spun to see the sea cow had a passenger. An octopus fishman.

“Ha Ha, how do you like that Marine? Huh? You’re not hurt? Who are we? We’re the great Momoo and Hachi of course! Let’s see how you like this!”

 **“Smoke Strike!”** Before they even started another charge, Smoker extended one arm and slammed a fist solidly into the Fishman’s face, sending him flying into the sea. Not that it would stop him, but it seemed to surprise the sea cow, who hesitated. Which gave Smoker a chance to drive it away, then return to his real targets. At least he knew what Nico Robin’s plan had been, even if it still seemed half-baked.

“Captain Smoker, watch out!” Smoker turned, first towards his ship, where Tashigi hauled herself to the railing somehow, then back towards the vessel he was chasing as a shadow fell over him. A single enormous arm grew from the deck. Smoker glowered as it descended. Did Nico Robin really think she was going to be able to swat him like a fly?

 **“Uno Manos: Tsunami.”** The arm didn’t reach out for Smoker. Instead, it slammed into the ocean in front of him. Row after row of smaller limbs that formed it vanished as they touched the sea, but Robin held the rest together, all her focus on that task. So it kept going, imparting force enough to create a massive wave which rose up and swamped the Marine. 

Smoker felt his body, scattered as a loose cloud, slam back together roughly, even as he was driven beneath the surface. He thought he heard Tashigi screaming his name before the ocean swallowed him up.

* * *

Zoro was surprised enough Hachi and that sea cow showed up to help. Robin creating a gigantic arm from a hundred smaller ones? All he could do was stare.

_‘She’s **this** strong?’_

_Pipit_ tipped dangerously under the sudden increase in weight in the back, bow rising out of the water. Zoro focused on making sure nothing went tumbling into the sea, including himself. He didn’t understand what she intended, since Smoker was out of reach, until the arm struck the sea and threw up a wall of water.

He heard Robin cry out and sprinted back to her, even as the arm continued to fall and disperse. He found himself in a blizzard of pink petals. He held Robin tightly while she gritted her teeth and finished her attack, making certain the waves didn’t throw her overboard as _Pipit_ bounced and tilted wildly from the wave and sudden change in weight distribution. As the rocking subsided, he saw no trace of the Marine, sea already settling. Smoker’s ship was dropping anchor near where he’d last been. Zoro saw several Marines crawling over the side and falling into the sea.

_‘Are they really dedicated to him, or just scared of him like ax-guy’s men were?’_

He dismissed the question. Didn’t matter. Smoker was down, time to go. After placing Robin securely inside the cabin, Zoro hefted the oars and rowed furiously. Rather than pick a direction to go, he focused on the Marine ship and making it get smaller and smaller in his vision. It seemed to work.

A loud voice called from his left. “Hey, Roronoa Zoro, is that you over there?” Before Zoro could respond, the voice continued. “Who is this? It’s Hachi, don’t you remember me? We fought a duel! Wait, are you a different human? I saw the green hair so I just assumed –“

“Yes!” Zoro snapped, restraining himself from leaping over and cutting the octopus to pieces. “Yes, I remember you Hachi. Thanks for the assist, by the way.” Not that it really helped, but hell, he tried. That counted for something.

Hachi, seated back on Momoo’s head, waggled one of his tentacles dismissively. “Think nothing of it. Why are you in the Calm Belt, you can’t sail through this?” Again not waiting for a response, he continued, “Who me? Well, Momoo’s a sea king, so he can carry me through no problem. Hey, I bet we can tow you guys if you want!”

Zoro blinked, trying to keep up with the octopus’ one-sided conversation. “You’d help us?”

“Yeah! I mean, you guys let me live when you didn’t have to!” Hachi seemed to realize that wasn’t exactly convincing. “And, well, you were right about that not being a good place for me.”

Zoro looked at his partner, standing unsteadily at the door. “You get all that?”

“Yes. I think we should take him up on it.”

“You sure?”

“If he wanted revenge, he could have simply left us to our fate.”

At Hachi’s direction, Zoro tied one end of a rope to the bow, and threw the other end to the octopus. He looped it over one of Momoo’s horns, and the sea cow began to pull them steadily away from the Marines, and further into the Calm Belt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet you thought I only sent Robin and Zoro to Cocoyashi to help pave the way for the Straw Hats, didn't you? You weren't ready for my galaxy brain thinking!
> 
> (Note: When I say "galaxy-brain", I mean in the sense the inside of my skull is mostly empty space, along with some gas and dust that may coalesce into a brain in a few thousand years. Or it may form a neutron star. Astronomers wait with bated breath!)
> 
> Anyway, now you know why I interrupted Robin and Zoro's escape with the Straw Hats at Arlong Park chapter. So you'd learn Hachi and Momoo weren't with Arlong, and perhaps wonder where they were, or assume they were dead. Then, surprise! Chapter 47 only said Arlong killed the subordinates Robin injured, but Hachi got hurt by Zoro, and Momoo didn't get hurt at all (except by Chew's words).
> 
> Did I kill Smoker? Well, once I figure that out, whichever of you is the first to read that chapter will be the second to know. I'm going back-and-forth between "he survived, and follows the plot to the Grand Line", and "he died, and Hina gets a vengeance-obsessed Tashigi as her second-in-command and sets off in hot pursuit." Hina does deserve a competent subordinate.


	49. The Passage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you're not in immediate danger of death via gigantic sea king, the Calm Belt lives up to its name. Which leaves time for other things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the last chapter of Run Deep, part 1 of Crossed Currents. My plan for this was basically; 1) send Robin to the East Blue; 2) have her meet Zoro; 3) have them slowly develop trust and friendship; 4) send them back to the Grand Line separate of the Straw Hats. Everything after that's for Part 2.
> 
> I know, it took me almost 190,000 words for that? When I first started, I figured it might be 65000-75000 words, little over twice "You Can't Save Him When You're Dead". But it kept growing. My dad sent me this book of Hemingway's correspondence and he tells his editor you should always write like you're going to die once you finish. Never hold anything back, because you won't use what you save. I wouldn't take Hemingway's advice when it comes mental health or remaining faithful to a spouse, but as writing goes, that's an ethos I can get behind, clearly.
> 
> Thank you again to everyone who left comments or kudos, who read and enjoyed this, or was willing to try it even if you didn't enjoy it.

The quartet made swift, if erratic, progress through the Calm Belt. Momoo, large for the East Blue, was a baby compared to the sea kings that lurked here. The sea cow, aware of the danger, stayed on high alert to avoid becoming lunch. This meant Robin and Zoro found themselves randomly thrown to one side or another as Momoo changed course at the first hint of an approaching sea king.

That was better than the alternative. Robin had been terrified the moment she saw the sea cow sinking below the waves, the rope connected to _Pipit_ following him down. Nearly drowning once had been enough.

Zoro almost cut them loose and started rowing again, but Momoo’s head reappeared above the surface. Apparently, there was another, even larger, sea king somewhere in the depths, and the sea cow decided there were better ways to go.

Zoro _politely_ reminded Hachi and Momoo he and Robin couldn’t breathe underwater.

Those dangers aside, the trip was uneventful. Robin and Zoro resumed their usual pastimes, although the dangerous location took some of their attention. And Robin felt it would be rude to ignore their traveling companions, since Hachi and Momoo were helping them, so they made time to chat.

Hachi would join them on deck for meals. He wasn’t a bad person to talk with. Away from Arlong, he didn’t chatter nervously as much, and there was less of the arrogance he’d parroted on Cocoyashi. Although maybe that was just because he was eating with two people he knew could beat him easily. The octopus swordsman also claimed to be a fair cook, but unfortunately, _Pipit’s_ kitchen couldn’t accommodate his size.

“Hachi, where will you and Momoo go once you reach the Grand Line?”

“I think we’ll head for Fishman Island. Not sure what I’ll do there, but I’m sure I can figure something out.”

“Where’s that at?” Zoro asked. He’d finished dinner already and was lifting weights nearby while Robin and Hachi ate.

“It’s way down in the depths of the ocean! You should come visit! Actually, if you want to go the other other half of the Grand Line, you’ll have to. That’s the only way past the Red Line.”

“We gotta swim down there?”

Hachi chortled. “Don’t be silly! You couldn’t hold your breath that long, and the pressures would crush you! You have to find someone at Saboady Archipelago to coat your ship! Then you can go underwater!”

“Who says I can’t swim that deep?” Zoro retorted, offended.

“Zoro, I’ve heard Fishman Island is 10,000 feet below the surface.” Hachi nodded in agreement.

The swordsman was unimpressed. “I don’t know I can’t swim that far until I try.”

“Perhaps,” Robin found herself curious to see him try, “but I would certainly die if we did. Neither drowning or having my organs crushed by the pressure of the ocean are what I consider pleasant ways to pass. You wouldn’t condemn me to such a fate, would you, Mister Swordsman?”

“Of course not. I wasn’t saying we would try it, just that he can’t be sure I can’t do it.”

“I bet if you could, King Neptune would probably throw a feast in your honor,” Hachi mused. “Or he might kill you if he thought you were trying to sneak in and kill him. Why? Things are always kind of tense between Fishmen and you humans.”

* * *

Brad sat at his desk in the main office of the Loguetown Marine Headquarters, thumbing through the newspaper. He’d read today’s edition already, but there wasn’t much else for him to do.

A stack of paperwork sat on his desk, but until the Captain returned, none of it could be completed. The clerk had finished all of it he could, but final approval required the ranking officer. Well, Brad could forge Smoker’s signature. In fact, Captain Smoker told him repeatedly to do just that, as he detested paperwork.

_‘With that attitude, and his dedication to capturing pirates, Smoker’ll make Admiral in no time. If he survives long enough.’_

Brad preferred not to do so. It wasn’t his job to sign this crap, and he wasn’t about to take the heat if there was blowback and Smoker tried to claim he’d never seen the form responsible. Besides, it was fun to annoy the Captain. The man was so serious and gruff all the time, Brad considered it his responsibility as a good subordinate to force Smoker to show a wider range of emotions. Annoyance and exasperation counted, right?

(Brad knew he could get away with it since he did the work of five clerks. The East Blue was at the bottom of the list for personnel requests.)

So Brad would wait for Smoker to return. If he returned. The Captain hadn’t failed yet at stopping a pirate from reaching the Grand Line (Kreig made it by skipping Loguetown entirely. Captain could stand to patrol more often.) But Nico Robin was on another level from most of the dreck that cycled through town.

The door to the office opened and drew his eyes from the paper he was mindlessly skimming. Once he processed what he saw, he shot to his feet and nearly concussed himself with his own salute.

“Admiral Aokiji, sir!”

The iceman blinked at the clerk slowly. “Don’t worry about all that. I’m looking for Captain Smoker. Is he in?”

The clerk dropped his salute, but didn’t risk relaxing. “Captain Smoker isn’t in at the moment, sir.”

“Oh?” Aokiji opened the door to Smoker’s office and looked in. Brad wondered if the Admiral thought he was lying to cover for his boss. “Do you think he’d mind if I took a nap in his chair?”

Brad decided, perhaps foolishly, to be honest. “Probably, but he won’t say so to your face. I could contact his ship if you’d like.”

Aokiji took Brad’s answer as a thumbs-up, ambling inside and leaning back as far as the chair would go. He immediately closed his eyes. “If it’s no trouble. I don’t want to step on Captain Smoker’s toes. I’m just here to catch Nico Robin. And her partner, what’s his name?”

“Um, Admiral? Nico Robin and Roronoa Zoro passed through here a few days ago. That’s why Captain Smoker is on his ship, he went in pursuit.”

Brad prepared to dive behind his desk, even knowing it wouldn’t save him if the Admiral lost his temper upon hearing he missed his quarry. Aokiji barely reacted.

“I missed her, huh? She always knew how to make a quick escape.” His eyes opened, but remained fixed on the ceiling. “You haven’t heard from Smoker, though?”

“No, sir.”

“You should check in. He and the entire crew might be dead by now. Backing Robin into a corner rarely ends well.”

Brad hurried to comply. The icy pit developing in his stomach had nothing to do with the Admiral’s Devil Fruit.

* * *

The familiar _purupurupurupuru_ of the Transponder Snail pulled Robin from her book. She wasn’t expecting a call. Perhaps it was Yomi or one of the other children. She hoped they were safe.

“Hello?”

“Sister Raserei?”

“Yosaku? Is that you?” The man sounded more subdued than usual. When he or Johnny called, they were usually cheerful and energetic. “Is Johnny alright?”

“Johnny’s fine,” he responded absently, “he’s right here. Is it true?”

Robin felt a familiar weight settle in her stomach. Zoro opened his eyes from his nap and sat up, scooting closer. “What do you mean?”

Johnny spoke up. “That you’re not Raserei. That you’re Nico Robin.”

Robin winced, though she had known this was coming. Johnny and Yosaku would want to stay up-to-date on bounties, so they would read the papers, just as she and Zoro did. There was no point in lying, and they deserved better from her. They didn’t sound angry at least. Hurt and confused, but not angry. “Yes. It’s true.”

“But, but what the papers said about you. What they claim you and Zoro did, that’s a lie, right?”

“Yes, Johnny. The Marines were experimenting on the children, and many had died before we arrived. We rescued the few we could.”

“That’s awful!” Johnny shouted. “It’s unforgivable you’ve been tarred as criminals just for protecting children!”

“They aren’t lying about us killing all the Marines, though,” Zoro threw in. “But they were assholes.”

Robin shot Zoro a warning look, but Yosaku interrupted. “Did you know who she was, Brother Zoro?”

Zoro stared sternly at the snail. “I learned her name was Robin at that island, if that’s what you mean. I knew her already, though, and so should you.”

“We do,” the trenchcoated bounty hunter insisted, “I couldn’t believe the things the paper said you’d done. It’s just. . .”

“What?”

“We thought the two of you were keeping it a secret from us for some reason,” Johnny finished. “Like we weren’t really your partners.”

“That wasn’t it, Johnny,” Robin answered firmly. “The paper told you the other things I’m accused of.”

“But we don’t believe those, either!” he responded stubbornly, while Yosaku shouted his agreement.

Robin would never deny how much that warmed her heart. “I appreciate that, but imagine for a moment the day we first met. I introduce myself as Nico Robin, and ask to work with you. What would you do, when all you know of me is what’s on my wanted poster?”

She could see Zoro frown from the corner of her eye, and the snail does likewise as Johnny replies quietly, “Oh.”

“We’re sorry,” Yosaku adds.

She shakes her head. “There’s nothing you need apologize for. You’ve both been my friends, and that means more to me than you can know.”

She can hear sniffling over the line. The two of them are probably close to bawling. Robin doesn’t mind. She envies how free they are with their emotions. She tactfully changes the subject. “How are the two of you doing?”

“Great!” Johnny announces boisterously. “We just recently won a tremendous battle over some Fishmen with a little help!”

“Only by a hair,” Yosaku adds.

“The win, or the amount of help,” Zoro quips.

The conversation continues for a little while, Johnny and Yosaku regaling them with tales of their successes and failures. All by a hair, naturally. Robin think they may be exaggerating the difficulty of some of their victories, but it’s just good to hear they’re doing well.

Eventually, though, it comes time to say farewells.

“Will you two be OK with everyone hunting you?”

“I believe so. I’m accustomed to keeping a low profile, and I have Zoro here to protect me. Our escape has been unconventional enough to make it difficult to find us. What’s next for the two of you?”

“We’ll continue to pursue bounties and protect the weak!” Johnny states firmly. “We won’t be pursuing you, obviously.”

“We’re grateful for that,” she responds as Zoro rolls his eyes. “Be careful, both of you.”

“We will,” Yosaku answers. “The two of you watch out for each other.”

Johnny adds, “And Brother Zoro, Sister Robin?”

She smiles hearing she still receives the title “sister”. “Yes?”

“Good hunting in pursuing your dreams.”

* * *

In the seas near Loguetown, an adorable little caravel with a sheep for a figurehead approached the island.

“There it is,” Nami gestured, “the last stop before the Grand Line.”

“Loguetown. Where the story of the last Pirate King began and ended,” Sanji said thoughtfully around puffs off his cigarette.

“We need to be on guard,” Nami warned. “The Marine who’s based here is supposed to be no joke.”

“Maybe we should just skip it then,” Usopp suggested.

“No way! I wanna see the last thing Roger saw!” Luffy insisted.

Nami shook her head. “We can’t afford to skip it, Usopp. I’m not sure how quickly we’ll reach an island where we can resupply once we’re in the Grand Line. We need to stock up now.”

“You are correct as always, dear Nami!” Sanji declared, face shining in lovestruck awe like the dumbest looking lighthouse ever. He sobered immediately when he turned to the sniper. “You heard what Gin said happened to Krieg’s crew. The Grand Line is no joke. The last thing we want to do is add no food to our list of dangers.”

Luffy, who had been bouncing up and down excitedly at the railing, spun around at the mention of food. “Did you say we’re out of food, Sanji?!”

“No, I said we don’t want to risk being out of food. Which means you need to stop eating three midnight snacks a night, shitty Captain!”

“I get hungry! Oooh, can you make lunch Sanji?”

The chef sighed. “You had lunch an hour ago!” At the rubber boy’s pout, he amended. “I’ll make us a snack.”

As the crew gathered in the galley, it was Usopp who raised a point. “Do we even need to worry about Marines? None of us have bounties yet, right? Luffy’s just been beating up pirates. Arlong, Kuro. . .”

“Buggy.” Nami added.

Luffy laughed. “Oh yeah, I beat that dumb clown up pretty good!”

Nami ignored her captain. “It’s not a bad point, Usopp, except we’re flying a pirate flag.”

“Not to mention our idiot captain can’t go five minutes without screaming how he’s going to be Pirate King. Marines frown on that.”

“Well I am, so the Marines might as well just get used to it!”

Nami again tried to wrest the conversation back on topic. “The point is, even if we don’t have bounties, that doesn’t make it safe. The Marines might think we’re small fry with no reputation, but they’ll still arrest us for being pirates if they can.”

“Let ‘em try! I’ll whup them all!” Luffy shouted.

“Don’t worry, Nami dearest. I’ll make sure no Marines are even able to get close enough to catch a glimpse of your divine radiance!”

“That’s so sweet, thank you Sanji,” she answered blandly.

“Hey, will you protect my divine radiance from the Marines, too?” Usopp asked.

Sanji’s expression soured immediately, like he saw someone use spoiled ingredients in a dish meant for a beautiful woman. “Not a chance. You two shitheads are on your own.”

“Hey, nakama are supposed to stick together!”

Sanji exhaled smoke in the sniper’s face. “I am. I’m sticking with Nami. You can stick with Luffy.”

“But Luffy’s sure to attract Marines!!”

"You better keep him under control then, shouldn’t you?” Usopp burst into tears at the thought of trying to keep his captain from causing trouble.

“You guys sort that out,” Nami said dismissively as she walked to her quarters. “We’ll make landfall soon, and I need to make a list of everything I’m gonna pick up. I need a whole new wardrobe for the Grand Line!”

In the skies above Loguetown, storm clouds began to gather and swirl.

* * *

Momoo was able to find sea life to eat as they traveled, which helped, since it meant they didn’t have to stop for him to forage. Even so, Robin made sure to make another portion of their meals for the sea cow as a thank you. It was barely a morsel, but he appreciated the gesture. They’d need to restock at the first island they found in the Grand Line, but Robin wasn’t complaining. It was worth it to make it across the Calm Belt safely. 

Not that she was taking it for granted they were safe. She and Zoro watched their surroundings for sea kings and Marine vessels. She also kept one eye on Hachi and Momoo, although her fears of a double-cross lessened with every minute it didn’t happen. She checked her Log Poses regularly, waiting for one of them to register an island’s magnetic field.

Otherwise, she read and planned while Zoro trained, either alone or with her help. Occasionally Hachi would assist, although he preferred to simply watch as Zoro weaved and deflected whatever Robin hurled at him. Zoro continued to work on Soru and Geppo.

With the former, he was trying to master using Soru more than once at a time. _‘Le Renard could use it for over a minute straight,’_ he pointed out. While Robin was working on skywalking (as well as another method of taking to the air she’d thought of), she was still reluctant to practice Soru.

As if to confirm her fears, Zoro stomped the deck and shot towards the bow, stopping on a dime, then going hard to his right. He intended to stop, then reverse, but couldn’t. He almost flipped over the railing, but a series of hands caught hold of his shirt first.

“Thanks Robin.”

She waved it off. “You’re getting better all the time.”

“You said the Grand Line is on a whole other level, so I’ve got to keep improving.” What he really needed was to feel the breath of the world, so that he could cut anything. “I forgot to say, that was a hell of an attack you used on Smoker.”

She smiled. “Quite a compliment coming from you, Mister Swordsman.”

“Is that your full strength?” Zoro thought he’d been getting closer to where he could keep his word, and truly protect her, but after that attack, he wondered if he was further away than he thought.

Robin placed one finger against her lip, thinking. “I might be able to make two of those,” she admitted. “But I’d be extremely vulnerable.”

“Because big attacks are easy to dodge, and you have to concentrate more to create something like that?”

“Partially, but it also makes it easier to hurt me. One cut on that arm, might be cutting 7 or 8 arms that make it up. I would experience all those cuts, as I did the time we fought.”

Zoro grimaced at the reminder of his loss of control. “Then when you struck the ocean like that. . .”

She nodded, “It was like falling partway in the sea, dozens of times. As draining as when I fell overboard. At least I knew I wouldn't drown. The worst part was not knowing if it worked. If it hadn’t, I was too weak to even try defending myself from Smoker." She paused. "That didn’t worry me as much as I expected, though.”

“Really?” Zoro figured she had good reason to be terrified of capture by the Marines.

“Of course,” she responded, beaming at him. “You were there, Zoro. I suppose I knew you’d do something reckless, but it would work.”

Zoro didn’t detect any hint of her making a joke, and it stunned him. She really meant it. He hadn’t expected her to be that open with her confidence in him after all this time. He played it off, trying to ignore how much he liked hearing her say that. “That’s right. I won’t let the Marines or anyone else get you. You can count on me.”

“I know I can. You’ve never given me reason to doubt you, even if I have at times.”

She started to walk away, then paused, as if considering something. She turned to look at him with a thoughtful gaze. 

“Would you stay right there, Zoro?”

He didn’t understand what was going on, but nodded in agreement. She faced him fully, taking a deep breath as she shut her eyes tightly. Silence hung in the air, and Zoro waited.

Robin released the breath she was holding, then stomped her feet 10 times in the blink of an eye and shot towards Zoro like she was fired out of a cannon. He just barely had time to brace himself before she crashed into him. The impact rocked him, but he held his ground, hands on her shoulders firmly.

“Good job,” he said, “but I thought you weren’t comfortable trying that while we’re at sea.”

Robin opened her eyes, blue orbs staring straight into him as she rose from the slight crouch she’d ended in. “That’s why I asked you to stay there. As I said, I knew you’d keep me safe. So there was no risk of my falling overboard.”

She leaned closer, observing him closely. Zoro felt like she was both too close, and not close enough. “Although perhaps I should be worried about your health.”

“Huh?” Was this about him crying?

Her smile turned mischievous as she trailed one finger along his jaw. “Your cheeks and ears are turning red. Perhaps you’re spending too much time in the sun? A nap under my umbrella might be advisable.”

She started to turn away as she spoke, toss the remark over her shoulder as a parting shot, but Zoro’s hands kept her in place. He wasn’t going to let her get the last jab this time.

“Or maybe I should take another nap in your cabin.” He leaned closer this time, until their noses almost touched. “You never did tell me how you thought you’d get me in your bed.”

She blinked, startled. “Wh-what?”

“When you insisted I had a fever and made me take that nap down there,” he explained. “As you left, you said that wasn’t how you thought I’d end up in your bed.”

He waited until her eyes flashed, recalling her own words. “So,” he continued in a low, intimate tone, “how did you think it was going to happen?”

Robin's cheeks tinged pink, and she suddenly wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I, I. . . assumed you would be mortally wounded, and it would be the best I could manage to make you comfortable before you died.”

It was a pretty weak lie by her standards. He thought about calling her on it, but decided to keep going. “Well, there’s still time for that to happen. We have a long way to go.” 

Her eyes widened. “No! I’d, rather that didn’t happen at all.” She finished the sentence barely above a whisper.

“Hey, are you guys OK over there?”

They both looked up as Hachi called out from on top of Momoo’s head. Robin backed up immediately, and Zoro let her. Hachi continued, oblivious. “Did one of you lose a contact lens? If it fell in the ocean, make sure to wash it off before you put it back in. Why? The salt water burns, obviously!”

“Nah, nothing like that, Hachi,” Zoro called back. “Robin thought I looked a little tired. I might go take a nap,” he shot her a grin and her face reddened again, “under the umbrella.”

Hachi agreed that sounded like a good idea, while Zoro made his way to the stern and settled into his napping spot. It took a few minutes, but eventually Robin’s light footfalls moved towards him, and she settled into her chair quietly.

There was a brief stretch of silence, save her turning pages of her book, until she murmured, “Well played, Mister Swordsman.”

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. One side of her mouth was turned up in a gentle smile, and her eyes weren’t guarded or angry. He grinned. “I had a pretty good teacher, Miss Archaeologist.”

Robin inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement, smile growing a little wider. “I’m honored Roronoa Zoro would consider me as having knowledge worth learning.”

“Of course I do,” he responded seriously. “You know a lot more about what’s out there than me. And I’ve been trying to move silently, like you do.”

“You’ve done quite well,” she agreed, before her voice dropped to a low, enticing whisper, “but there’s much more I can teach you. If you study diligently, you may find out not only how I thought you'd reach my bed, but what would happen there. Oh dear, your ears have turned red again. Fufufufu.”

Zoro ducked his head as she giggled. She got him again.

That was OK. Zoro definitely enjoyed traveling with her. Nice to work with someone driven. Someone who didn’t act like he was weird or rude just because he didn’t smile all the time. Even if he was completely outclassed in brains, talking with her was fun. He didn’t even mind the teasing. It had been a long time since anyone was willing to just joke around with him.

He didn’t know why it got to him so much, though. Why her low voice could make him turn red like that, or why his heart would speed up when she looked at him a certain way. He’d never had this problem with anyone else, but it could be something for an enemy to exploit. He needed to figure out why this was happening, then he could overcome it.

He shifted into a cross-legged position, beginning to deepen his breath and fall into a steady rhythm.

Robin watched her partner settle into a meditative posture, smile still on her face. She liked teasing Zoro. Partially because his reactions could be so adorable, but he also didn't take it personally. He actually seemed to enjoy it. Robin hadn't many chances to be playful with someone, so she was glad to take advantage.

She raised her head, looking across the unvaried expanse of sea ahead of Momoo. Somewhere out there, the Grand Line lay waiting. One year there before left her exhausted and frightened. She was confident this time would be different. This time she had a lead on an actual Poneglyph.

Even more important, this time she wasn't alone.

END PART I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, so, potential future schedule. When I first started writing this (Nov. 2019), I was working on two other multiple chapter stories. I set those aside April of 2020 because I'd kind of stalled out on them and I wanted to actually finish one of the three. I intended to already be working on those two again by now, but my mind's been taken up by an entirely different AU thing (also Zoro and Robin focused), which I hope will be much, much shorter.
> 
> So, writing schedule is as follows: 1) Other weird One Piece AU thing. 2) Those other two multiple chapter things (one of which is for One Piece, and Robin-centric). 3) the second part of Crossed Currents. I can't give you a timeline, other than I'll try to go as fast as I can, but I don't like to post a story until it's written. There's too many times I need to go back and add something to early chapters so there's a proper build-up later.
> 
> But, here are a few of the things I know will be in Part 2, in no particular order:  
> Robin and Zoro's first meeting with the Straw Hats.  
> Zoro's first fight with Mihawk.  
> Aokiji having either the best or worst timing imaginable.  
> Impel Down prison break!  
> MOAR BUGGY  
> Nami going Bruce Willis in Die Hard on some people's asses.
> 
> See you when I see you!


End file.
